The cast of ‘Water and Garri’—Jemima Osunde, Mike Afolarin, and Andrew Bunting—recently sat down with Nollywire to share their experiences working on the movie, particularly with Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage. This project marked the first time any of them had collaborated with the iconic singer, and their stories revealed a different side of the star, filled with warmth and playfulness.
Andrew Bunting kicked off the conversation by recalling his initial encounter with Tiwa. “Well, to be honest, I’ve never had the opportunity to get as close to Tiwa as I did in this film. She’s such a wonderful soul who’s so down to earth,” he said. “I remember our first scene. It was a kissing scene, and this was only a couple of hours after I’d met her for the first time.”
Jemima Osunde echoed Andrew’s sentiments, painting a picture of a Tiwa Savage who is both accessible and endearing. “Tiwa is really playful,” Jemima shared. “In the movie, we play cousins, and now in real life, I call her my big sister. It’s kind of hard not to love her; she’s a very playful person; it’s unbelievable!”
Jemima’s admiration for Tiwa went beyond the playful interactions on set. “It was an experience that made me get to know her on a personal level. I’m very happy for that, because now I know Tiwa, not just Tiwa Savage that we see on screen. Seeing her be nervous, second-guessing things, and being on her toes to do something of this magnitude was very inspiring for me. She’s a sweetheart, and you just have a great time when you’re around her.”
The discussion took a humorous turn when Nollywire asked the cast about the stupid things they each think men do. Mike Afolarin’s response drew laughter from the group. “One thing I’ve heard that’s crazy is men having one family on one side of the globe and another family somewhere else, with neither family knowing the other exists. For example, a Nigerian family may not know about a UK family. It’s crazy!”
Andrew Bunting added to the humour with his own observations. “I was going to say it’s along the same line. Ghosting before letting somebody know how you actually feel about them is another one. Some men just leave without any explanation, leaving the other person in a state of confusion. That’s crazy. Don’t do this, guys,” he advised.
Jemima Osunde agreed, sharing her own perspective on the topic. “The absolute worst is having a whole other family. Imagine finding out you’re not actually the last child, but there are four younger ones in the UK who look and talk like you, but you never knew they existed. It’s wild. I can’t even imagine waking up and finding out I have, like, three younger siblings in the UK.”
As the conversation wrapped up, the cast encouraged viewers to watch ‘Water and Garri’ on Prime Video, where it’s now available. Their lively and candid reflections promise that the film is as engaging and heartfelt as their behind-the-scenes stories.
