The star of ‘Shanty Town’ Chidi Mokeme sat down with BBC Pidgin to open up a little bit more about the show and what he needed to do to get into the role. Chidi did some very extreme things. Here are 4 extreme things Chidi Mokeme said he did in order to become Scar.
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1. He Shaved His Head.
Speaking about some of the things he had to do to become the character of Scar for Shanty Town, actor Chidi Mokeme revealed to BBC Pidgin that he actually had to shave his head and go bald just for the role. In his words:
CHIDI MOKEME: Some of the body modifications I did to enter into the character of Scar was to shave off my hair and go bald.
2. He Did Not Take His Bath
In addition to shaving off his head to become Scar, Chidi Mokeme also revealed that he also stopped taking his bath at some point all for the purpose of becoming scar. He made the revelation to BBC Pidgin saying:
CHIDI MOKEME: I also did not take my bath for a few days before going on set so that when they say I should do something dirty, I can do it freely because I know I am not clean.
3. He Did Not Brush His Teeth
To further get into the role and the headspace that he needed to be in order to channel the character of Scar, actor Chidi Mokeme reveals that he also ended up going days without brushing his teeth. He revealed this as well to BBC Pidgin saying:
CHIDI MOKEME: Sometimes I don’t brush my teeth and when I open my mouth to talk to people, they wonder what kind of a person I am.
4. He Smoked 3 Packets a Day
The most extreme of all things that Chidi Mokeme did for the sole purpose of embodying the role of Scar in Shanty Town was to start smoking three packets a day, when he on a normal day is not even a smoker. That is very extreme, and very unhealthy, but Chidi reveals he wanted to do it in order to achieve the signature Scar voice. Chidi Mokeme said to BBC Pidgin:
CHIDI MOKEME: I don’t smoke but I had to smoke about three packets per day to make my voice sound the way it did in the series.
Since wrapping the show, and putting all of this extreme things behind him, Chidi Mokeme says that he still finds it hard to say goodbye to the character of Scar. In fact, he says that now he and Scar are fighting for ownership of his body. Chidi Mokeme said to BBC Pidgin:
CHIDI MOKEME: The character and I have become one and it will take some time before we can let each other go. Scar and I are struggling with each other on who owns my body. I told Scar that I’m through and that he can go but if I can be allowed to, I will remain as Scar.
