Actor awed by dunes of ‘Dune’
Babs Olusanmokun is having an incredible year. After returning to the “Dune” franchise as Jamis in “Dune: Part Two,” the actor will next be seen in Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” which opens April 19. The Nigerian American actor is also a cast member of the “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” series, portraying Dr. Joseph M’Benga. One of the perks of his job is filming on location: “For ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,’ we shot in Turkey and England. Turkey was so fun and welcoming. It’s such a huge country.”
This interview with Olusanmokun has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: What does shooting on location provide you as an actor? A:
It brings a certain authenticity that’s very difficult to capture in a studio. On Jeymes Samuel’s “The Book of Clarence,” we shot in Matera, southern Italy. Such a stunning place! Matera is one of the longest continuously inhabited places on Earth. We’re talking thousands of years. I was in awe anytime I walked around.
Q: Where did you shoot the “Dune” films? A:
I shot initially in Budapest, which is quite wonderful architecturally. The city is also very welcoming. They’ve got grand boulevards and the Danube River running
through demarcating the hilly Buda and lower plain Pest — hence Budapest. I shot the bigger chunk of my role in “Dune” in Jordan — the majestic desert of Wadi Rum, also the shooting location for films like “The Martian.” It was a real blessing to be working in that incredible natural setting. Words can’t really convey its beauty. I also found myself in the desert of the United Arab Emirates, between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, for “Dune: Part Two.” What a beautiful landscape. Such glorious sand dunes.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination? A:
The south of France. It’s got great weather and unbelievable cuisine.
Q: I understand that as the son of a diplomat, you grew up around the world. How did that affect you? A:
It was really wonderful growing up like that. I think I just took it in stride as a kid and simply enjoyed it. I was always up for the adventure of traveling, even though you do have that constant restart and discovery of new relationships. I’m a lot more appreciative of the experiences now as an adult. But even as a kid, I sensed it was something of a privilege.
Q: Did you study Brazilian jiu-jitsu when you lived in Brazil?
A: I actually only started training when I moved from Brazil to New York City after high school. I was still more of a karate kid in Brazil. (Laughs.) I’ve been a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt for a long while now. It’s an incredible art form that I hold dear.
Q: What would you like people to know about Nigeria? A:
Lagos, where I was born, is vast and quite fast paced. Lots of people are working hard to make a better life for themselves. Lots of Nigerian artists, musicians especially, have gone global. Lagos is where you can go and listen to them on their way up.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels? A:
Pretty much, don’t be narrow-minded. It will simply keep you small.
Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways? A:
The Berkshires and Paris.
Q: What are your five favorite cities? A:
Paris, New York, Lagos, London, Cape Town.
Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: I’d love to visit Japan.