Exploring Family and Redemption: Ifeoma Fafunwa and Cynthia Clarke on “The Lost Days”

The Lost Days, produced by Steve Gukas, Dotun Olakunri, and Chioma Ezeani, and directed by Wingonia Ikpi, is a Prime Video family drama that follows Chisom, a successful businesswoman in remission from lymphoma, as she seeks reconciliation with her estranged ex-lover and son. The film stars Ifeoma Fafunwa in her debut film role as Chisom, whose daughter, Nkem, played by Cynthia Clarke, has supported her mother through a health crisis while navigating her own heartbreak. Leaving her affluent city life, Chisom travels to a rural settlement in Abeokuta, where she reconnects with Baba Kola (Bimbo Manuel) and attempts to bond with his sons, Moses (Baaj Adebule) and Kola (Durotimi Okutagidi). Initially, their reunion seems promising, but a kidnapping ordeal heightens family tensions and unveils long-buried secrets.

The film prominently features Ifeoma Fafunwa and Cynthia Clarke, who portray the compelling mother-daughter dynamic. Ifeoma Fafunwa is renowned for her extensive work in theatre as a playwright, activist, and director. Her most notable project, HEAR WORD!, is a powerful monologue series based on true-life stories addressing the struggles of Nigerian women. Since its debut in 2004, HEAR WORD! has been performed in English and local languages, tackling themes such as gender inequality and domestic abuse with an all-female cast. In 2014, Fafunwa founded the iOpenEye Africa Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to driving social change through performance art. With a degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and numerous accolades from Nigerian and American theatre communities, Fafunwa continues to use art to spark conversations about gender, identity, and social dynamics.

Cynthia Clarke, in contrast, is a certified neurosurgeon whose passion for the arts has led her to acting. Starting her career in Nollywood as a child actor, she took a hiatus to focus on her medical studies before returning to the screen. Clarke previously starred as Serena Kuramatanga in MultiChoice’s Rishante, appeared in Cold As Ice, and has featured in several of Omoni Oboli’s YouTube productions.

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Ifeoma Fafunwa and Cynthia Clarke to discuss their roles and share their experiences working on The Lost Days. This conversation has been edited for clarity and precision.

Q: As a celebrated theatre director making your screen acting debut as Chisom, how did you approach transitioning from stage to screen, and what challenges did you face in portraying a character with such emotional complexity?

Ifeoma: For me, transitioning from film to stage acting was relatively smooth, as many actors move between the two mediums. The stage serves as a training ground, honing skills that translate across platforms. However, shifting from directing to acting was more challenging. As a director, I was accustomed to organizing everything—lights, sound, and audience experience. Becoming the one being directed felt different. Initially, I was in denial, even pretending I hadn’t been cast until the moment they called me to shoot. This unpreparedness may have helped, as I had no time to overthink or worry. My first scene was tough; I struggled to remember lines and felt nervous. But after getting through it, I settled in. Though I haven’t performed in theater, my years as a director and producer, working closely with actors, gave me a deep understanding of what the role demands, which ultimately prepared me for the transition.

Q: As Nkem, Chisom’s daughter, you have an interesting relationship with your mother on screen. What drew you to the script, and how did you work with Ifeoma Fafunwa to build such authentic chemistry between your characters?

Cynthia: The Lost Days is an unconventional story. It’s more about finding peace with oneself than a love story, and that drew me. We usually know that daughters tend to be closer to their fathers, but this involved a situation where the daughter was basically mothering her mother. I really picked and built on that. 

Q: How did you connect to Chisom’s journey as a successful woman seeking reconciliation after recovering from cancer, and what steps did you take to embody her experience with abandonment and grief?

Ifeoma: I didn’t focus too much on the theme of abandonment. When I analyzed Chisom’s character, I saw parts of myself in her—she’s determined, goes after what she wants, and believes she can solve any problem. She runs five businesses and is accustomed to taking action and succeeding. I didn’t focus heavily on her past because it’s already woven into the story. Instead, as Chisom, I concentrated on meeting my son, falling in love with him, and envisioning the time we’d share in the future. I began to look forward to the possibilities for us. While filming, as Chisom, I discovered that Baba Kola’s wife  had cared for my child as if he were her own, and I felt indebted to her. It felt natural for me to embrace her child as my own in return. I opened my heart, which isn’t typical for me in reality, because I’m usually more guarded and suspicious as a person. My usual demeanor is that of a problem-solver, always in control. While we don’t know so much about Chisom’s past, embodying her character came naturally to me.

Q: What challenges did you encounter in bringing Nkem’s personality to life?

Cynthia: Nkem is a soft, feminine girl even when she’s upset. It was slightly challenging for me because as much as I am soft-spoken, I wouldn’t have been able to react in the same way Nkem did. For instance, if my mother got kidnapped, I wouldn’t be standing around like Nkem. It was hard pulling myself into the mental space of being vulnerable enough to take on Nkem’s character without letting Cynthia shine through her. Nkem was more susceptible to listening to people around her even though she didn’t know them. It took a lot for me to bring myself to trust strangers who say Nkem’s mother is going to be fine without taking matters into her own hands. 

Q: Working under Wingonia Ikpi’s directorial debut, how did her vision influence your performance, particularly in scenes depicting Chisom’s mysterious disappearance and its impact on her family?

Ifeoma: I was excited that Wingonia, a first-time feature director and a woman, was helming the project, which made me even more invested in its success. This heightened awareness fueled my commitment to the film. I found myself taking cues from the environment and the dynamics around me. Wingonia emphasized emotional depth in every scene, pushing for intense highs and lows, including the sadness and fears tied to the characters. This approach drew me deeper into the moment, making me more attuned to my surroundings. I connected with my daughter’s care and Baba Kola’s surprise, and I made a conscious effort to engage with my sons, responding to their presence. As a trainer myself, I naturally reacted to the scenes unfolding around me. Wingonia had precise expectations for emotional depth, and if I fell short, she’d encourage me to dig deeper. Her clear vision for the film was reassuring. I could see that the director and producer had meticulously planned every indoor and outdoor setting, which made the process smooth and inspiring.

Q: How did your prior acting roles in projects like Rishantes and Cold as Ice influence your approach to playing Nkem, and how did you adapt to the director’s vision?

Cynthia: When I went to the set of The Lost Days, I did so as a blank canvas. I just wanted the director to mold me into the character that she wanted because as much as we are actors and we bring different characters alive, the character is basically the vision of the director. So, pulling experience from previous  projects or characters was not the best option for my character here. Also, I haven’t necessarily played a character like Nkem before. I just let the director take creative directions with me and followed what the director wanted me to do for Nkem. 

Q: Given your extensive experience with HEAR WORD! and advocating for women’s stories, how did playing Chisom, a woman navigating love, loss, and redemption, align with or differ from your previous work in storytelling?

Ifeoma: The parallels I drew relate to the women working in the film as performers and producers. Another parallel is that my character is a strong figure who commands her own space. My relationship with my daughter is one of equals, as I aim to raise her to be strong. My character is a woman who doesn’t rely on a man. The actresses of Hear Word!, who have been with me for eleven years, inspired me with their spirit of sisterhood, not in terms of my role, but in encouraging me to step into an unfamiliar world. The years of working with them, built on mutual trust, gave me the confidence to trust this particular project, trust Wingonia, and trust myself.

Q: How did you connect with Nkem’s perspective as a daughter navigating Nigerian family dynamics and intergenerational conflict in the culturally significant setting of Abeokuta?

Cynthia: In the film, as the daughter, my character must come to terms with the realization that her mother lied about where she was going, only to later discover that her mother was kidnapped. There was the betrayal of her mother lying to her about her destination, and the realisation and heartbreak of having to go through the thought of losing her mother again. Nkem had just come out of the cancer world with her mother. She had to be the strength behind her mother. When a person has cancer, you always have to be jovial with them and alive even though you are breaking down. This dynamic shaped their family relationship before arriving in Abeokuta. In Abeokuta, Nkem faces the possibility of losing her mother once more. To portray this, I had to mentally break myself down to inhabit that emotional space. It was a complex challenge, as I had never tackled such a role before. It felt like fighting a war, yet Nkem had to stand on the sidelines, watching others fight for her mother.

Q: What was the most challenging scene for you to perform as Nkem, and how did you manage the demands of the moment?

Cynthia: That was the moment I was waiting anxiously for the moment we’d receive the kidnappers’ call. I had been pacing for nearly two hours, my legs aching, but I needed to maintain the momentum for the scene. That scene was particularly challenging because I had to push through physical exhaustion while staying in the right mental space. It’s incredibly demanding to remain in character when your body is giving out. Though the scene likely aired for only three to five minutes, it took a tremendous toll on me.

Q: What are your plans following The Lost Days, and are you considering more film projects?

Ifeoma: I’m unsure about my plans for other film projects this year, but I’m open to new experiences and letting them unfold naturally. I don’t know exactly what’s ahead, but I’m excited to follow my heart.

Q: What new opportunities in Nollywood are you exploring after The Lost Days?

Cynthia: I’m venturing into directing and producing. I’m currently in pre-production for my first film which I will be shooting next month. Next year will be both Cynthia the actor and director.