William Benson: 10 things to know about To Kill a Monkey star

From the bustling streets of Lagos to the morally murky world of cybercrime, William Benson’s portrayal of Efemini in Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill a Monkey delivers one of the most emotionally complex and quietly commanding performances Nollywood has seen in years. Benson anchors the film’s weighty themes—survival, betrayal, and choice—with a deliberate restraint that allows his character’s internal struggles to resonate with fierce authenticity.

The Everyman Trapped by Circumstance

Efemini—called Efe—is introduced as a hardworking, humble father battling poverty, illness in the family, and a mounting sense of personal failure. Benson plays him with such vulnerability that when tragedy strikes—his mother’s death, losing one of his triplet babies, job loss—it feels visceral and deeply human. The scene in Episode 2 where he opens his child’s lunchbox and simply breaks down under the weight of his reality is emblematic of Benson’s subtle power. He conveys profound despair through barely a tremor of his voice and a shudder in his shoulders.

As Lagos hums outside his window, Efe’s world collapses inward. Benson’s performance makes us feel each knock-back, each betrayal, and each emotional fracture—not through heavy monologues, but through tight jawlines, darting eyes, and stillness that screams. From the outset, it’s a masterclass in building empathy without cliché.

The Temptation of Fast Money and Brotherhood

Efe’s encounter with Oboz (Bucci Franklin) pulls him into a seductive world of cybercrime, where masked scammers (the “monkeys”) swindle the unwary through elaborate online deception. But Oboz isn’t just a recruiter; he’s a brother from the past—and that word, “brotherly,” becomes an emotional code in their friendship. What begins as camaraderie ends as deception. Benson captures the shift brilliantly: excitement that becomes fear, trust that becomes betrayal. As viewers peek into dark chat rooms and bank fraud operations, we never lose sight of the man torn between desperation and the illusion of brotherhood.

Efe’s initial recruitment feels like salvage, like lifeline. But as his skills in AI and tech enable him to orchestrate fraud at scale, we see his posture change: taller, tauter, but emotionally distant. Benson’s Efemini evolves from meek provider to calculating fraud architect—yet beneath every confident stride is a tremor of regret.

Internal Fractures and the Cost of Betrayal

Midway through the series, cracks in Efe’s composed exterior begin to show. In solitude, he is haunted. One poignant scene shows him in an apartment bathroom, naked under a pipe, his tears washing away more than sweat. It’s raw, unfiltered grief from a life unraveling in silence. Benson doesn’t rely on dramatic flair; the stillness of the moment says it all.

When confronted by his wife Nosa (Stella Damasus), having lied and plunged into a world she can’t comprehend, Benson allows despair to fuse into shame. That final glance before turning away speaks of a man who has lost more than money—his sense of self is slipping, and he knows it. Again, this is not melodrama; it’s a raw exposure of a man crossing lines he never thought he would.

Confrontation with Justice and Emotional Reckoning

The climax of Efe’s journey lands him in the crosshair of Mo Ogunlesi (Bimbo Akintola), a grief-driven cybercrime officer determined to dismantle the fraud ring. Benson responds with calculated desperation. His face remains calm; his voice measured. Yet every syllable trembles with the cost of betrayal. When the offer of escape—a fake passport, a private flight—appears, it doesn’t sway him. Efe opts instead to leak the group’s documents to expose the truth. The choice is delivered without fireworks. A deep breath, a flicker in his eyes, and acceptance. Benson sells the moment with a gravity that lingers well beyond the screen.

Why Benson’s Portrayal Matters

William Benson doesn’t play Efemini as a criminal mastermind or moral crusader—he plays him as a man shaped by grief, pushed by survival, and ultimately challenged by conscience. That complexity is what makes the show’s emotional impact profound: it’s not just a story of cyber fraud; it’s a portrait of how systemic pressures and personal trauma can warp the human soul.

Critics and fans alike responded to Benson’s work with awe. Social media buzz crowned him Nollywood’s new force—fans called him “a beast,” even likening him to Denzel Washington for his command of the role. Reviewers agreed: his performance carried the film’s emotional weight and moral center.

Pulse Nigeria praised him alongside Bucci Franklin and Bimbo Akintola as “absolute perfection” in their roles, noting how each actor lifted the material with emotional depth and stylistic precision. Kraks described the character study as raw, expressive, human—a dramatic shift for Nollywood storytelling. Technext24 observed how Benson carried “the weight of a thousand bad decisions,” delivering the portrayal with simmering intensity.

Broader Themes Through One Man’s Story

Kemi Adetiba’s visual storytelling turns Lagos itself into a character—vibrant, chaotic, oppressive. In this landscape, Efe’s poverty and drift are more than individual—they’re systemic. And it’s Benson’s nuanced acting that personalizes the threat of corruption, inequality, and moral erosion. His Efemini is not asking for forgiveness; he’s revealing the price of survival in a landscape full of compromise.

The film’s title becomes symbolic: killing the inner “monkey” of innocence, identity, or pride. Benson’s Efemini is forced to let that self die. And the tragedy is not that he committed fraud—it’s that he allowed hope to die too.

William Benson’s Rising Star Moment

For an actor who worked across television and stage, To Kill a Monkey marks William Benson’s defining moment. Long-time followers may remember him from earlier series, but this role cements his arrival as a river of raw talent meeting a gorge of character complexity.

Adetiba’s careful casting—mixing emerging stars like Benson with veterans—paid off. Efe’s emotional arc anchors a story that’s as much psychological as it is criminal. Benson’s portrayal invites empathy even for decisions we reject. In Lagos’s neon-lit alleyways and cyberchat rooms, Efemini stands out because he never forgets how deeply a man can lose standing in pursuit of survival.

William Benson: 10 Things to Know

1. A Seasoned Theatre Master Turned Nollywood Lead
William Benson’s career spans over three decades, beginning in theatre as a director, playwright, and actor. He has worked extensively with the renowned Duke of Shomolu Productions, contributing to acclaimed adaptations like Isale Eko, Emotan the Iyeki of Benin, and Oba Eshugbayi. His foundation is deeply theatrical and literary in nature.

2. A Graduate of English Literature from UNILAG
Benson holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Lagos, where he also directed the practical portion of the English Theatre Workshop course for 12 years before formally enrolling as a student in 2005.

3. Inspired by Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson
In interviews, Benson has shared that he aspires to be acknowledged as Nigeria’s equivalent to Denzel Washington, citing both him and Samuel L. Jackson as creative lodestars.

4. Began His Acting Journey in 1990
He began performing professionally in theatre in the early 1990s, and has since transitioned successfully into Nollywood film and television with deliberate growth and discipline.

5. Known for Rich Roles in Stage and Screen
Some of Benson’s most celebrated roles include General Apeh in Ajoche and Efetobore in Unbroken—both Africa Magic productions that showcased his depth and versatility.

6. A Multifaceted Creative
Beyond acting, Benson writes, directs, and produces. His plays and stage productions, particularly historical epics, showcase his breadth as a creative artist in Nigerian performing arts.

7. Starred as Herbert Macaulay in a Major Biopic
His portrayal of Herbert Macaulay, Nigeria’s pioneer nationalist leader, in The Herbert Macaulay Affair (2019) is widely cited as a landmark performance that cemented his standing as a serious actor.

8. Career Includes Historical and Contemporary Films
Benson’s credits include projects like Obara’M (2022), Love Is War (2019), The Herbert Macaulay Affair (2019), Cordelia (2021), Àjosepò (2024), House of Ga’a (2024), Red Circle (2025), and the Netflix series To Kill a Monkey (2025).

9. Valued for Collaboration and Empathy on Set
His colleagues and directors often praise his professionalism, eagerness to learn, and ability to collaborate—he sees each character by “what each character whispers to me” rather than imposing a style on roles.

10. Still Building His Legacy
Although his career began decades ago, Benson emphasizes that he hasn’t “arrived” yet. He remains hungry to evolve, believing that one must keep working hard to serve audiences and do justice to every character