Exclusive: Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki talk Disney+ film Rise
Now playing on Disney+ is Rise, based on the triumphant real-life story about the remarkable family that produced the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league—Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kostas Antetokounmpo.
Directed by Akin Omotoso from a script written by Arash Amel, the cast includes Newcomers Uche Agada and Ral Agada—also real-life brother who portray young Giannis and Thanasis, with Jaden Osimuwa and Elijah Sholanke as their other two brothers, Kostas and Alexandros, respectively. Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki play their parents, Charles and Veronica, with Manish Dayal as Giannis’ tenacious agent, Kevin Stefanides, and Taylor Nichols as John Hammond, general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Audiences have never seen a story like that of the Antetokounmpos. After emigrating from Nigeria to Greece, Charles and Vera Antetokounmpo (Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki, respectively) struggled to survive and provide for their five children, while living under the daily threat of deportation. With their oldest son still in Nigeria with relatives, the couple were desperate to obtain Greek citizenship but found themselves undermined by a system that blocked them at every turn. When they weren’t selling items to tourists on the streets of Athens with the rest of the family, the brothers-- Giannis (Uche Agada) and Thanasis (Ral Agada)--would play basketball with a local youth team.
Latecomers to the sport, they discovered their great abilities on the basketball court and worked hard to become world class athletes, along with brother, Kostas (Jaden Osimuwa). With the help of an agent, Giannis entered the NBA Draft in 2013 in a long shot prospect that would change not only his life but the life of his entire family. And last season, Giannis and Thanasis helped bring the Milwaukee Bucks their first championship ring in 50 years, while Kostas played for the previous season champs, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Okeniyi previously starred opposite Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta in the network’s cop drama series “Shades of Blue.” He also appeared in the first season of the Apple drama “See” opposite Jason Momoa. He has starred in a number of features as well, including “The Hunger Games,” “Terminator Genisys,” “Runner Runner,” and “The Spectacular Now.”
Badaki’s is best known for playing Bilquis in all three seasons of the Starz adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” as well as a role on NBC’s hit drama series “This Is Us.” She has also starred in features such as “The Long Shadow,” “What We Found,” and “Chasing the Rain.”
Blackfilmandtv.com’s Wilson Morales caught up with Okeniyo and Badaki as they spoke about their roles, working with first time actors and playing Nigerians in the film. Both actors are from Nigeria.