Actor Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine from "The Chi" and Apple TV+'s "Smoke" joins us on Story & Craft.
Listen on your favorite app
Actor Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine from “The Chi” and Apple TV+’s “Smoke” joins us on Story & Craft.
Ntare’s work includes “The Chi” and “Treme,” with “Dexter: Resurrection” and “Washington Black” coming up. We talk about his Ugandan heritage, his path into acting, and his long-term documentary project “Memories of Love Returned.”
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine joins Story & Craft
Ntare’s Background and Family
Journey into Acting
Life in New York and Los Angeles
Cultural Connections and Cuisine
Colonial History and Family Lineage
Acting Career Highlights
Landing the Role in “Smoke”
Unexpected Career Paths
Family and Acting
Cultural Connections and Cooking
Upcoming Projects
The Seven Questions
STAY IN THE KNOW
- Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com
FOLLOW THE SHOW
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod
CONNECT WITH MARC
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Full Transcript
Part 1
1
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine joins Story & Craft
,540 --> 00:00:01,740
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
Went to my students, I said,
2
,740 --> 00:00:03,060
look, I like this audition.
3
,180 --> 00:00:05,130
I'm not right for it, but
I'm gonna do whatever.
4
,130 --> 00:00:06,510
I can just do the best I can.
5
,720 --> 00:00:11,970
Sometimes the goal is to do the
least embarrassing job you can do.
6
,680 --> 00:00:15,330
Announcer: Welcome to Story and Craft.
7
,840 --> 00:00:18,060
Now, here's your host, Marc Preston.
8
,210 --> 00:00:18,930
Marc Preston: All right, here we go.
9
,930 --> 00:00:21,420
Another episode of Story and Craft.
10
,775 --> 00:00:22,615
Welcome back.
11
,884 --> 00:00:25,195
I'm Marc Preston, and,
uh, glad to have you here.
12
,195 --> 00:00:28,015
If this is your very
first episode, welcome.
13
,015 --> 00:00:28,884
Glad to have you here.
14
,915 --> 00:00:33,114
Uh, today we are sitting down
with actor Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine.
15
,075 --> 00:00:36,235
Uh, you might know him from the Shy.
16
,265 --> 00:00:41,935
Uh, he was also in Treme, uh, the
Lincoln Lawyer, the new show on Apple tv.
17
,965 --> 00:00:43,105
You can check him out in.
18
,140 --> 00:00:45,720
Right now is called Smoke.
19
,750 --> 00:00:50,160
It is with Taryn Edgerton, Jurnee Smollette, John Leguizamo.
20
,400 --> 00:00:54,270
Uh, it is out right now and coming up
soon, I believe, in just a few weeks.
21
,450 --> 00:00:58,380
The new season of Dexter Resurrection,
you can check him out there, as
22
,380 --> 00:01:02,879
well as Washington Black, which is
coming out on Hulu soon as well.
23
,335 --> 00:01:04,894
Uh, do me a favor, if you would.
24
,894 --> 00:01:08,554
I always ask small favor, pop
on over to your podcast app.
25
,975 --> 00:01:12,035
Make sure to follow story
and craft, uh, that way.
26
,035 --> 00:01:13,985
New episodes come out, you get notified.
27
,985 --> 00:01:16,475
Leave a review, some stars, whatever.
28
,475 --> 00:01:18,425
Have you helps people to find the show.
29
,815 --> 00:01:21,515
Uh, also everything you could
possibly wanna know about the show.
30
,880 --> 00:01:25,360
Just go to story and craft pod.com.
31
,810 --> 00:01:29,470
Uh, also, if you enjoy what we got
going on here, you can support the show.
32
,470 --> 00:01:31,000
Got some links there for you.
33
,330 --> 00:01:33,760
Uh, little coffee cup
and stuff at the bottom.
34
,760 --> 00:01:34,450
You click on it.
35
,980 --> 00:01:35,970
It'll tell you what to do.
36
,060 --> 00:01:38,310
Okay, so let's go ahead
and jump right on into it.
37
,310 --> 00:01:44,490
Today is Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine Day
right here on Story and Craft.
38
,110 --> 00:01:47,310
Where are you joining me from today?
39
,685 --> 00:01:51,630
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I am in my
dressing room at, uh, the Dexter,
40
,630 --> 00:01:53,400
uh, resurrection Production Office.
41
,400 --> 00:01:56,610
So you might hear some, some,
uh, some background noise.
42
,610 --> 00:01:57,570
That's the, the crew.
43
,215 --> 00:01:59,565
Marc Preston: Are you in the LA area?
44
,565 --> 00:02:00,435
Is that where you are right now?
45
,435 --> 00:02:00,645
No,
46
,645 --> 00:02:01,755
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: we're in New York.
47
,755 --> 00:02:04,101
The series is filming in New
York, so we've been here Oh, okay.
48
,106 --> 00:02:05,325
Since January.
49
,835 --> 00:02:07,995
Uh, made it through winter
now seeing into spring
50
,235 --> 00:02:08,625
Marc Preston: and summer.
51
,625 --> 00:02:10,995
So did the, uh, production
just start there or are y'all
52
,995 --> 00:02:12,645
kind of midstream right now?
53
,645 --> 00:02:12,705
I.
54
,130 --> 00:02:14,179
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
No, we're at the tail end.
55
,179 --> 00:02:18,649
I actually just wrapped and we
have, I think a week, a week
56
,649 --> 00:02:20,120
and a half left of filming.
57
Ntare's Background and Family
,450 --> 00:02:21,739
Marc Preston: So where
are you from originally?
58
,745 --> 00:02:23,780
Uh uh Where, where,
where do you hail from?
59
,109 --> 00:02:25,160
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
That's a great question.
60
,429 --> 00:02:28,220
Uh, my parents are originally from Uganda.
61
,790 --> 00:02:29,630
Uh, both were my.
62
,600 --> 00:02:31,560
My parents'.
63
,560 --> 00:02:33,210
Parents, my parents', parents', parents.
64
,210 --> 00:02:36,840
My parents', parents', parents,
parents were all from Uganda.
65
,840 --> 00:02:41,940
I was the first in the family to be
born outside the country in Hanover,
66
,940 --> 00:02:47,670
New Hampshire, uh, during my dad's last
exam when he was at Dartmouth College.
67
,180 --> 00:02:48,870
Marc Preston: Okay.
68
,650 --> 00:02:51,870
So he came over here to
do the college thing.
69
,870 --> 00:02:53,220
That was what brought him this way.
70
,640 --> 00:02:53,820
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
71
,820 --> 00:02:56,010
Both of my parents came for their studies.
72
,070 --> 00:02:57,209
Marc Preston: What did
they come here to study?
73
,500 --> 00:03:00,780
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
They came for university.
74
,780 --> 00:03:05,880
My dad was at Dartmouth College where I
was born, uh, in Hanover, New Hampshire.
75
,880 --> 00:03:08,790
And from there he went to Harvard Law
School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
76
,880 --> 00:03:10,590
I lived there for a little bit as a kid.
77
,220 --> 00:03:13,260
Um, so grew up in the Boston area.
78
,590 --> 00:03:16,230
Um, then moved to Stockbridge
in the Berkshires.
79
,230 --> 00:03:18,900
My mom was a, uh, psychologist.
80
,900 --> 00:03:22,830
She had gone to Boston University
and went to Howard as well.
81
,670 --> 00:03:26,310
So education was key for them.
82
,490 --> 00:03:26,850
Um.
83
Journey into Acting
,000 --> 00:03:27,060
Yeah.
84
,960 --> 00:03:29,160
Marc Preston: Well this begs the question.
85
,160 --> 00:03:34,230
You have two academics, uh, or, or
folks who went into a law psychology.
86
,620 --> 00:03:38,160
So what was their feeling like, okay, our
son's gonna be doing the acting thing.
87
,160 --> 00:03:39,540
Was that like, okay, cool, cool?
88
,540 --> 00:03:41,820
Or were they like, uh, why
are you not getting yourself
89
,820 --> 00:03:43,350
a, uh, professional degree?
90
,890 --> 00:03:46,950
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: They've
been really supportive, uh,
91
,980 --> 00:03:49,980
throughout, although they might
have been mystified at the onset.
92
,550 --> 00:03:53,190
They were always engaged and curious.
93
,670 --> 00:03:54,240
Um.
94
,010 --> 00:03:59,730
My parents came to see some of
my plays when I was in college.
95
,119 --> 00:04:02,640
When I was in grad school, uh, at NYU.
96
,420 --> 00:04:08,820
My dad actually came and sat in on
one of the classes and I thought might
97
,820 --> 00:04:10,649
have been a, a mistake on my part.
98
,769 --> 00:04:13,619
'cause he was like, if you love
this so much, you should find
99
,619 --> 00:04:15,029
a way to pay for it yourself.
100
,649 --> 00:04:20,490
So he had been helping me out at
that point, but I had, I just had
101
,490 --> 00:04:21,779
to take out student loans too.
102
,245 --> 00:04:23,775
To, uh, finish up my studies.
103
,775 --> 00:04:26,115
'cause he was like, well this
is, you know, we were all sitting
104
,115 --> 00:04:29,955
around on the floor and doing
our rolling around exercises.
105
,985 --> 00:04:33,255
I, I know you interviewed one of my, um,
former schoolmates Garrett Dilla Hunt.
106
,705 --> 00:04:34,875
Marc Preston: Oh, yes, yes.
107
,474 --> 00:04:37,335
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: He might have
run into Garrett in the hallways and
108
,335 --> 00:04:39,375
been like, what the heck is this?
109
,914 --> 00:04:42,135
But he was there.
110
,135 --> 00:04:44,295
He came to see when I had a
lead role at the Steppenwolf
111
,295 --> 00:04:45,495
Theater and the Kennedy Center.
112
,495 --> 00:04:49,094
My dad was there, flew from Uganda
to come and see these productions.
113
,094 --> 00:04:51,495
So, although it was a shock, uh.
114
,005 --> 00:04:53,445
They, they were fully supportive.
115
,445 --> 00:04:54,800
And embracive, embracive.
116
,305 --> 00:04:58,485
Marc Preston: What kind of law did
your, uh, or does your father practice?
117
,695 --> 00:05:01,035
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Uh, my father,
both my parents have since passed.
118
,335 --> 00:05:01,635
Oh, okay.
119
,635 --> 00:05:03,825
My dad was, uh, a banker.
120
,125 --> 00:05:07,215
He was the head of the legal department
at the, uh, world Bank for a while.
121
,215 --> 00:05:13,445
Uh, worked at the Kuwait Fund, head of,
uh, yeah, so he was a. A finance lawyer.
122
,315 --> 00:05:17,164
Marc Preston: Did you pick
up any, uh, osmotically?
123
,164 --> 00:05:20,224
Did you pick up any kind of desire
to like, okay, well this law thing
124
,224 --> 00:05:22,474
is kind of interesting or psychology.
125
,474 --> 00:05:26,224
Was there any kind of, uh, a draw
at any time to something like that?
126
,224 --> 00:05:31,234
Or did you, was, was it always performance
and being on stage and, and whatnot?
127
,684 --> 00:05:32,885
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
Well, I think psychology and
128
,885 --> 00:05:34,054
acting, the arts, there's, uh.
129
,800 --> 00:05:36,690
Uh, a close relationship.
130
,690 --> 00:05:38,280
And so I've always
interested in psychology.
131
,280 --> 00:05:42,030
I used to read some of my mom's
psych books that she had lying
132
,030 --> 00:05:45,390
around during our summer breaks,
um, when she was in Nairobi.
133
,780 --> 00:05:50,250
Um, and that just keyed my interest
into the human psyche and how we work.
134
,250 --> 00:05:55,590
The why we keep engaging in
self-destructive behavior or you
135
,590 --> 00:05:58,020
know, where inspiration comes from.
136
,020 --> 00:05:58,995
All those things that were.
137
,700 --> 00:06:04,260
Or you know, that that psychology sort
of unravels kinda, it kind of helps
138
,260 --> 00:06:06,599
Marc Preston: you to, you know, in
the future of all the people you'll
139
,599 --> 00:06:09,390
be working with, it's gonna help you
understand them as well, you know?
140
,390 --> 00:06:09,630
Exactly.
141
,049 --> 00:06:13,260
Um, you're the first gentleman I've
had the opportunity to sit down
142
,260 --> 00:06:15,179
with from as Ug got Uganda correct?
143
,210 --> 00:06:15,780
As Uganda?
144
,780 --> 00:06:15,869
Yes.
145
,559 --> 00:06:20,880
Is there any kind of a tradition there
in the theater arts or, or performance
146
,880 --> 00:06:26,400
or storytelling, or is there anything
that, that is kind of organic that's
147
,400 --> 00:06:28,229
just sort of part of the culture there?
148
,765 --> 00:06:29,245
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
149
,515 --> 00:06:33,145
Um, storytelling is rich tradition.
150
,145 --> 00:06:34,675
We come from an oral history mm-hmm.
151
,915 --> 00:06:35,455
Tradition.
152
,844 --> 00:06:40,855
And there's a thing called, which
takes place at weddings where
153
,855 --> 00:06:44,905
there's, uh, an orator who comes
out like the mc, and he'll just.
154
,080 --> 00:06:50,910
Do these incredible, like off the
riff, you know, poems about the bride
155
,910 --> 00:06:52,920
and groom and, and their journey.
156
,340 --> 00:06:56,250
Uh, so I, I grew up going to
weddings, traditional weddings,
157
,250 --> 00:07:01,410
and seeing how stories and
storytelling was vital and key.
158
,410 --> 00:07:02,370
Part of our.
159
,925 --> 00:07:03,645
Traditions.
160
,155 --> 00:07:06,585
Marc Preston: It seems like a lot of
great cultures that they have an oral
161
,585 --> 00:07:10,575
tradition and, and unfortunately like, you
know, whenever you have a lot of colonial
162
,605 --> 00:07:14,865
things going on that kind of gets rid of
a lot of that, that's part of the, the
163
,865 --> 00:07:19,215
tactic, you know, so it's good that they
managed to kind of hold onto that aspect
164
,215 --> 00:07:21,315
of storytelling and whatnot in history.
165
,405 --> 00:07:23,250
You went to NYU, uh, correct.
166
,674 --> 00:07:24,395
For grad school?
167
,395 --> 00:07:24,604
Yes.
168
,604 --> 00:07:25,354
I went school to University
169
,354 --> 00:07:26,885
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: of
Virginia, university of Virginia for
170
,885 --> 00:07:29,585
undergrad and NYU for grad school.
171
,705 --> 00:07:30,335
Uh, high school.
172
,335 --> 00:07:32,914
I was in boarding school
in Quebec, so Oh, okay.
173
,914 --> 00:07:33,935
Got around a bit.
174
,354 --> 00:07:35,435
Marc Preston: Were, were
you studying acting?
175
,435 --> 00:07:37,594
Was that the, was that
the, the, uh, theater
176
,744 --> 00:07:38,405
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: undergrad?
177
,405 --> 00:07:40,804
I was studying political
science and theater.
178
,104 --> 00:07:42,005
Uh, theater was my major.
179
,065 --> 00:07:43,114
Political science was my.
180
,575 --> 00:07:44,234
A minor.
181
,744 --> 00:07:49,455
And then for, uh, graduate school,
I was at the, uh, the MFA acting
182
,455 --> 00:07:51,104
program at Tisch School of the Arts.
183
,645 --> 00:07:53,864
Marc Preston: Were, were you
going, okay, I wanna do theater,
184
,924 --> 00:07:56,385
I wanna be on the stage, that's
my jam, that's what I wanna do.
185
,385 --> 00:07:59,684
Or was there a destination like
to be on screen where you're
186
,684 --> 00:08:01,034
like, that's what I want to do?
187
,515 --> 00:08:03,405
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Interestingly
enough, you know, in grad school there
188
,405 --> 00:08:06,434
was people that you thought would
have a trajectory for film and tv.
189
,645 --> 00:08:07,094
Um.
190
,085 --> 00:08:11,145
Uh, everyone thought Garrett
was, you know, a movie star.
191
,145 --> 00:08:11,265
Mm-hmm.
192
,265 --> 00:08:15,434
'cause he just had the look, he had
the talent and, uh, I don't know if
193
,434 --> 00:08:17,625
you know his incredible singing voice.
194
,955 --> 00:08:19,184
This guy can belt.
195
,275 --> 00:08:22,304
I can't sing it with a lick, even though
three years of grad school and training.
196
,604 --> 00:08:22,960
Well, he's, he's
197
,965 --> 00:08:24,375
Marc Preston: kind of
initially a quiet guy.
198
,375 --> 00:08:26,955
When you talk to him, he's kind of a
little, you know, he kinda worms up.
199
,224 --> 00:08:28,815
If I ever have a chance to
speak with him again, I'm gonna
200
,815 --> 00:08:29,804
be like, dude, you held back.
201
,804 --> 00:08:31,844
You didn't tell me about
the singing thing you did.
202
,319 --> 00:08:33,309
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I can't sing.
203
,400 --> 00:08:35,469
I have two left feet.
204
,919 --> 00:08:41,439
And I think most people, a lot of people
thought I was going to fare better on
205
,439 --> 00:08:43,689
film and television for some reason.
206
,689 --> 00:08:45,520
I, maybe my voice as well.
207
,120 --> 00:08:51,370
Um, but right when I got outta school,
I mean, I couldn't crack a, a, a
208
,370 --> 00:08:53,560
job in film and TV was all theater.
209
,560 --> 00:08:55,270
I was just doing theater all the time.
210
,900 --> 00:08:58,270
Um, my first job was, uh.
211
,430 --> 00:09:02,280
Yeah, when I first got outta school,
I was auditioning for like Oliver
212
,280 --> 00:09:05,010
Stone, some Woody Allen film.
213
,430 --> 00:09:10,230
Uh, like a bunch of like great films
and not, I didn't get any of them.
214
,230 --> 00:09:12,960
The first job I ended up getting
was the national tour of Six
215
,960 --> 00:09:16,350
Degrees of Separation, uh, which
was, had just been on Broadway.
216
,950 --> 00:09:21,210
And so I spent a year traveling
around the country, uh, going from
217
,990 --> 00:09:27,630
LA to San Francisco, to Washington
DC to all the major, you know,
218
,630 --> 00:09:29,670
Philly, all the major cities.
219
,855 --> 00:09:31,445
Performing the play for a year.
220
,625 --> 00:09:33,725
Marc Preston: If you were to go back into
your resume and go, okay, this was the
221
,725 --> 00:09:38,045
first time when it just, it's not that the
bug bit you, but where you're like, okay,
222
,645 --> 00:09:43,595
I'm feeling good about this, this is,
this Rolls media, that this is satisfying
223
,595 --> 00:09:44,885
why I decided to become an actor.
224
,885 --> 00:09:48,125
I mean, what was that first big role
for you if you were to go back in tie?
225
,935 --> 00:09:49,985
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
That was my first job.
226
,985 --> 00:09:55,415
I got extremely lucky, uh, that my first
job was a lead role in a Broadway play.
227
,415 --> 00:09:58,380
Um, doing six degrees of separation.
228
,040 --> 00:10:03,390
Uh, I didn't realize how lucky I was
until after the fact when the other,
229
,600 --> 00:10:06,360
the other came, things that came
afterwards weren't quite as juicy.
230
,900 --> 00:10:08,610
Uh, but yeah, I was really fortunate.
231
,610 --> 00:10:08,875
My first.
232
,780 --> 00:10:12,660
My first break was a lead
role in a a Broadway show.
233
Life in New York and Los Angeles
,810 --> 00:10:13,890
Marc Preston: Where do you live full-time?
234
,979 --> 00:10:15,959
Are you, do you live in
New York full-time now or?
235
,680 --> 00:10:18,780
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I, I've
been in New York since January
236
,780 --> 00:10:23,069
filming on Dexter Resurrection,
but I'm based in Los Angeles.
237
,189 --> 00:10:26,339
Marc Preston: Is there any, uh, pull
for you to, you know, because now
238
,339 --> 00:10:30,180
with technology and uh, being able
to connect, have meetings, audition,
239
,180 --> 00:10:31,800
whatever, have you, you can live anywhere.
240
,810 --> 00:10:34,719
Is there any draw for you
to make your way to Africa?
241
,750 --> 00:10:39,579
You know, does that feel like home base in
a way, uh, because your parents, or does
242
,579 --> 00:10:41,770
this really feel more like home for you?
243
,069 --> 00:10:44,290
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I feel
like a child of both worlds.
244
,800 --> 00:10:48,670
Um, and I've been fortunate as a
result of technology, as you said,
245
,670 --> 00:10:52,270
to be able to book jobs from Uganda,
recording them in my mom's bathroom.
246
,000 --> 00:10:57,660
Send it to my agent and then
like, unfortunately, the wifi
247
,660 --> 00:11:00,689
was strong enough to send that
audition and ended up booking a job.
248
,140 --> 00:11:05,280
So yeah, we're, we're living in an age
where, you know, you're not necessarily,
249
,489 --> 00:11:09,479
um, tied down to a particular location.
250
,050 --> 00:11:12,630
Um, but LA has been home for a while.
251
,630 --> 00:11:14,010
Both of my kids were born there.
252
,069 --> 00:11:14,609
Uh.
253
,020 --> 00:11:19,800
We were thinking of, my wife's
family's from New York and so when
254
,800 --> 00:11:23,939
I got this job here, she thought
this is a sign, you know, we
255
,939 --> 00:11:25,500
should be moving back to New York.
256
,560 --> 00:11:29,610
Uh, I've always wanted to be closer
to the family and I was open to it.
257
,610 --> 00:11:31,439
'cause I was like, here, I'm
gonna be possibly working
258
,439 --> 00:11:32,400
here for the next few years.
259
,815 --> 00:11:34,465
Um, but one taste of winter,
260
,275 --> 00:11:35,755
Marc Preston: um, yeah.
261
,935 --> 00:11:36,730
When the kids,
262
,885 --> 00:11:38,935
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: when the
kids bot talk, you're talking to a
263
,935 --> 00:11:41,065
Marc Preston: guy who's got a
hundred steps to the beach, so No.
264
,365 --> 00:11:42,955
Oh, cold weather is not my jam.
265
,955 --> 00:11:43,195
Yeah.
266
,615 --> 00:11:43,885
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
267
,885 --> 00:11:44,965
I've gotten soft.
268
,965 --> 00:11:48,655
I mean, I grew up in New England,
but now if it gets to 65 degrees.
269
,849 --> 00:11:49,510
You might as well.
270
,510 --> 00:11:52,510
I mean, I just soft, I got turned
the seat heaters on in the car.
271
,199 --> 00:11:53,740
It's just, yeah.
272
,490 --> 00:11:54,760
Yeah.
273
,939 --> 00:11:55,360
Marc Preston: Oh yeah.
274
,630 --> 00:11:59,199
Well now I use the seat heaters for my
back is bothering me and I, you know,
275
,199 --> 00:12:02,500
it's like use 'em as a heating pad
more than I'm to warm up, you know?
276
,920 --> 00:12:03,010
Yeah.
277
,010 --> 00:12:04,120
Now how old are your kids?
278
,180 --> 00:12:05,020
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Six and eight.
279
,380 --> 00:12:06,430
How about yours or is he still young?
280
,940 --> 00:12:10,870
Marc Preston: Oh my, I've got a
22-year-old, a 20, uh, and a, uh,
281
,900 --> 00:12:15,130
19-year-old and the, the 22-year-old
just graduated last year is teaching
282
,130 --> 00:12:18,970
school in New Orleans and my son's about
to graduate and, uh, congratulations.
283
,300 --> 00:12:19,690
Oh, thank you.
284
,690 --> 00:12:20,470
Yeah, he's graduating.
285
,620 --> 00:12:20,711
They both.
286
,350 --> 00:12:23,300
Knocked it out in a year,
uh, three and a half years.
287
,600 --> 00:12:26,660
My youngest, my 19-year-old who's
down here with me, she is like,
288
,750 --> 00:12:29,390
yeah, I just realized, 'cause she
did some studying in Barcelona.
289
,390 --> 00:12:32,510
She just realized she can, she's on
a three year program, but she found
290
,510 --> 00:12:35,600
out that she can actually graduate
a semester early 'cause she's got.
291
,195 --> 00:12:39,465
These extra credits, like, these
kids are way smarter than me.
292
,465 --> 00:12:41,505
You know, that's so intimidating
when you realize your kids
293
,505 --> 00:12:42,645
are brighter than you are.
294
,650 --> 00:12:42,830
You know?
295
,990 --> 00:12:44,595
It means you means you've done a good job.
296
,805 --> 00:12:45,855
Well, I hope so.
297
,855 --> 00:12:47,745
I hope my, my fingers are crossed.
298
,745 --> 00:12:51,615
But hey, you don't always end up talking
food at least one time during my show.
299
,705 --> 00:12:52,995
Uh, during each episode.
300
Cultural Connections and Cuisine
,995 --> 00:12:57,915
But I'm curious what's like a, a
quintessential Ugandan dish, like a,
301
,915 --> 00:12:59,625
uh, me living, coming being from Texas.
302
,625 --> 00:13:01,365
Somebody said, what's
a uniquely Texas dish?
303
,365 --> 00:13:02,715
I'll say like chicken fried steak.
304
,770 --> 00:13:03,880
You know, something like that.
305
,120 --> 00:13:07,750
What is something Ugandan, what is
something, uh, quintessential Ugandan.
306
,990 --> 00:13:10,660
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Well, funny
enough, you mentioned Texas, uh, which
307
,660 --> 00:13:12,160
is known for the Longhorn cattle.
308
,520 --> 00:13:17,470
And the Longhorn cattle are said to
be, have begun in Uganda, the ANCO cow.
309
,500 --> 00:13:18,189
Marc Preston: Really?
310
,189 --> 00:13:18,579
Really?
311
,579 --> 00:13:18,939
Yes.
312
,180 --> 00:13:20,650
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
Yeah, that's like the origin.
313
,860 --> 00:13:23,935
So Uganda's actually close
to Texas in terms of.
314
,570 --> 00:13:27,960
Meat and potatoes kind of, uh, fair.
315
,470 --> 00:13:30,090
They have a thing rather than potatoes.
316
,090 --> 00:13:34,650
They have this thing called mato,
which is steamed, uh, bananas.
317
,280 --> 00:13:39,480
Not, not the yellow banana, like we know
like green banana, which is steamed.
318
,480 --> 00:13:41,910
And that's like the base,
that's like the potatoes, right?
319
,910 --> 00:13:42,090
Right.
320
,330 --> 00:13:43,295
It's your starch basically.
321
,295 --> 00:13:43,575
Yeah.
322
,765 --> 00:13:44,055
Yeah.
323
,115 --> 00:13:45,480
All kinds of stews.
324
,570 --> 00:13:50,370
Beef stew, chicken stew,
peanut stew, fish, stew.
325
,835 --> 00:13:54,975
Would dress the dish and
then, uh, all sorts of greens.
326
,035 --> 00:13:57,555
So you would, you'd, you'd feel
at home if you were in Uganda.
327
,945 --> 00:13:59,295
Marc Preston: That's one
thing I love about doing this.
328
,295 --> 00:14:02,145
I end up learning something,
uh, pretty much every time.
329
,205 --> 00:14:02,955
You know something?
330
,955 --> 00:14:05,355
I didn't know Longhorn
Cattle coming from Uganda.
331
,355 --> 00:14:06,555
That is very cool.
332
,855 --> 00:14:09,945
In fact, there's a little, uh, there's
a little, you know, 'cause I live on
333
,945 --> 00:14:11,445
an island where they've got a little.
334
,780 --> 00:14:15,110
Oh, I got like zip lining and,
and horse ride horseback riding.
335
,110 --> 00:14:17,810
There's, you know, stuff for
folks to do and, uh, they have
336
,810 --> 00:14:19,280
some Longhorn cattle there.
337
,430 --> 00:14:22,340
And my, my daughter and I just
happened to drive by and I'm like,
338
,340 --> 00:14:25,670
I realize I, I grew up in Texas,
been for, you know, my whole life.
339
,940 --> 00:14:28,490
Never actually was up close
and personal with a longhorn.
340
,250 --> 00:14:29,880
Steer there.
341
,880 --> 00:14:30,719
I'm like, oh, okay.
342
,719 --> 00:14:32,880
This is what they look like up
close and personal, you know?
343
,030 --> 00:14:36,420
And my family went to the University of
Texas, so that's their, their mascot.
344
,420 --> 00:14:39,240
So, you know, I gotta tell them, tell
them there's something I learned.
345
,630 --> 00:14:40,170
Um, I'm
346
,170 --> 00:14:43,530
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: actually
heading to Texas and Uganda is
347
,530 --> 00:14:45,420
having, there's a Ugandan convention.
348
,900 --> 00:14:46,680
In Austin.
349
,830 --> 00:14:47,010
Really.
350
,010 --> 00:14:47,040
Okay.
351
,040 --> 00:14:50,520
So just to, just to make it clear,
to drive home the connection
352
,520 --> 00:14:52,110
between Uganda and Texas,
353
,290 --> 00:14:54,060
Marc Preston: that that's pretty Uganda
354
,060 --> 00:14:57,720
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: and co conference
about Longhorn cattle and, you know, the
355
,720 --> 00:15:01,320
tradition and cultures in Austin, Texas,
the week of June, weekend of June 19th.
356
,440 --> 00:15:03,660
Marc Preston: Now if you're a
beef eater, you gotta check out,
357
,750 --> 00:15:04,895
uh, which I've never been there.
358
,190 --> 00:15:07,800
Uh, I've tried to go there, but they
have a long line usually, but it's
359
,800 --> 00:15:09,840
a place called Franklin Barbecue.
360
,870 --> 00:15:13,110
People start lining up in the morning
for lunch and they're usually sold out,
361
,110 --> 00:15:14,670
I think by like 3:00 PM or something.
362
,700 --> 00:15:18,510
But, uh, the last time I was in
Austin was during COVID, so everything
363
,510 --> 00:15:19,770
goes outta out of kilter there.
364
,770 --> 00:15:23,220
But if you go there, that's, that's
the station on the cross you gotta hit
365
,220 --> 00:15:24,720
when it comes to barbecue in Texas.
366
,140 --> 00:15:28,385
And I always do the show before I.
Before I, before I have lunch, so
367
,385 --> 00:15:29,495
I'm like hungry thinking about it.
368
,275 --> 00:15:32,195
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Well,
but glad to sweat your appetite.
369
,195 --> 00:15:35,495
I'm, I'm, I'm actually, uh, an anomaly.
370
,705 --> 00:15:39,785
'cause I am, I'm one of the few
people of, of Ugandan descent
371
,785 --> 00:15:41,105
who are actually a vegan.
372
,645 --> 00:15:42,670
So they just, okay, okay.
373
,670 --> 00:15:46,325
They don't understand like no dairy even.
374
,715 --> 00:15:47,105
So
375
,605 --> 00:15:49,865
Marc Preston: I was gonna ask
you, I was like, well, my.
376
,975 --> 00:15:52,535
We're getting an education on Uganda.
377
,535 --> 00:15:57,755
Was it ever a, a colonial, uh, was there
ever any kind of European, like, you know,
378
,815 --> 00:16:01,085
seems like Africa's been littered with all
these, you know, once upon a time, former
379
,445 --> 00:16:03,395
fill in the blank colony or, or whatever.
380
,635 --> 00:16:06,785
Did Uganda ever have any kind
of colonial influence at all?
381
Colonial History and Family Lineage
,115 --> 00:16:12,005
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Um, I am
fortunate to be, uh, be able to trace
382
,005 --> 00:16:15,515
my family lineage over 500 years.
383
,515 --> 00:16:19,325
My father was part of the
royal family of Van, so.
384
,890 --> 00:16:24,000
Our story begins before the British
even set foot in Uganda, uh, Uhhuh.
385
,720 --> 00:16:27,030
There are kingdoms throughout the country.
386
,600 --> 00:16:31,080
Uh, and we didn't really, it wasn't
considered a country, it was just
387
,230 --> 00:16:33,000
kingdoms throughout the country.
388
,000 --> 00:16:33,090
Mm-hmm.
389
,450 --> 00:16:37,230
Which, you know, uh, were
splintered into in, into.
390
,530 --> 00:16:40,709
The continent was carved up by foreigners.
391
,099 --> 00:16:41,160
Yeah.
392
,310 --> 00:16:44,310
And, uh, a lot of conflict
resulted in it, in our place.
393
,310 --> 00:16:47,130
But yeah, there was a brief period
where the British were there.
394
,130 --> 00:16:49,800
But, um, my, my history
traces back further than that.
395
,219 --> 00:16:54,209
All of our cell phones, the,
the cult on comes from Congo.
396
,390 --> 00:16:56,579
Uh, still happening to this day.
397
,819 --> 00:17:02,250
It's like a lot of the minerals, vital
minerals are, are, are being used to, uh,
398
,699 --> 00:17:04,200
fuel this conversation that we're having.
399
,604 --> 00:17:06,944
Marc Preston: The dichotomy of
like enjoying the benefit of
400
,944 --> 00:17:09,435
this, but going, okay, we got
this because fill in the blank.
401
,435 --> 00:17:11,354
It's bunch of knuckleheads.
402
,354 --> 00:17:13,304
But uh, it's such a rich
and interesting history.
403
,304 --> 00:17:16,214
Whenever I have an opportunity
to speak with someone, uh, from
404
,214 --> 00:17:18,464
that neck of the woods, I always
find it very interesting to learn.
405
,464 --> 00:17:22,754
I've only had Ethiopian food one time and
where I live now, they don't really have
406
,754 --> 00:17:24,734
a big diversity of different kind of.
407
,954 --> 00:17:27,504
Cuisines and I'm kinda like,
okay, I wanna, I wanna try.
408
,504 --> 00:17:29,544
I love trying different stuff,
you know, it's the cheapest
409
,544 --> 00:17:31,074
way to travel in my mind.
410
,524 --> 00:17:31,855
You know.
411
,915 --> 00:17:33,205
Um, you met your wife.
412
,205 --> 00:17:36,625
Were y'all in New York when y'all
met, or uh, uh, were you in LA
413
,745 --> 00:17:40,405
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: We met,
we met in Los Angeles at, uh, the
414
,405 --> 00:17:42,415
Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
415
,925 --> 00:17:50,395
They have a Friday night jazz series and,
uh, I saw her across the way and caught my
416
,395 --> 00:17:51,895
eye and just went up and said hello and.
417
,980 --> 00:17:54,180
Now we have two kids.
418
,780 --> 00:17:55,230
Marc Preston: Very nice.
419
,379 --> 00:17:58,290
So is she, is she in the, is
she in the industry as well?
420
,590 --> 00:17:59,580
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: No, not at all.
421
,610 --> 00:18:04,050
She works in fashion, um, sort
of behind the scenes doing, um.
422
,514 --> 00:18:09,975
The, um, she manages the sort of
the website, the online portal
423
,975 --> 00:18:11,685
for, uh, a fashion company.
424
,685 --> 00:18:14,955
So anytime you hover your mouse,
they, they, they track everything.
425
,345 --> 00:18:16,875
Marc Preston: Uh, you
mentioned the jazz thing.
426
,875 --> 00:18:19,395
Speaking of, uh, jazz, uh, is
that something you're, is that
427
,395 --> 00:18:20,205
something you're really into?
428
,205 --> 00:18:21,585
Are you, is jazz kind of your jam?
429
,855 --> 00:18:22,274
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
430
,425 --> 00:18:22,785
Yeah.
431
,785 --> 00:18:26,535
And my son, uh, we, Nick, we
named, his middle name is Coltrane.
432
,225 --> 00:18:29,264
Uh, he's a big John Coltrane fan.
433
,565 --> 00:18:32,505
Marc Preston: I spent 20 years,
uh, I'm from Dallas originally, but
434
,505 --> 00:18:35,895
I spent the last oh, 20, a little
over 20 years in New Orleans.
435
,315 --> 00:18:39,375
I know there's the Chicago Jazz thing,
there's the New Orleans Jazz, there's
436
,375 --> 00:18:43,935
different pockets, but, uh, was there
any specific, besides John Coltrane,
437
,025 --> 00:18:45,255
uh, were there any kind of like.
438
,765 --> 00:18:49,425
Genres of jazz that you find
are kind of really grab you.
439
Acting Career Highlights
,785 --> 00:18:53,175
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Um, I
spent, uh, four years working in New
440
,175 --> 00:18:57,675
Orleans on this TV series, Tremaine,
so I got a nice, oh, wait, wait.
441
,675 --> 00:18:57,975
I didn't
442
,975 --> 00:18:59,505
Marc Preston: even, I
did not even see that.
443
,510 --> 00:19:00,585
I, I, you know what?
444
,585 --> 00:19:02,295
I auditioned for that a few times.
445
,565 --> 00:19:05,055
That would, that was a great
production and, uh, yeah.
446
,360 --> 00:19:06,590
What was Treme like for you?
447
,590 --> 00:19:09,379
'cause that was a, that was a big
show in New Orleans and it was, it
448
,379 --> 00:19:13,010
really captured, I think, kind of
the flavor of New Orleans a little
449
,010 --> 00:19:15,709
bit more realistically, you know,
than a lot of stuff out there.
450
,709 --> 00:19:17,449
Well, what, what was that
experience like for you?
451
,510 --> 00:19:20,300
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: No, there's no
better way than sort of discovering a
452
,300 --> 00:19:22,520
city than, than being on a show sometimes.
453
,520 --> 00:19:26,360
'cause you get windowed into access into
things that you might not necessarily see.
454
,110 --> 00:19:28,129
I played a sous chef.
455
,380 --> 00:19:31,920
So I got to hang out in all these
great restaurants, in the kitchens, and
456
,400 --> 00:19:36,570
we'd always get carte blanche whenever
we would go out, uh, to find dining.
457
,990 --> 00:19:40,500
Um, and of course the music
scene is unparalleled.
458
,040 --> 00:19:46,260
Uh, we were filming there the year the,
um, new and Saints won the Super Bowl.
459
,560 --> 00:19:47,340
Oh yeah.
460
,340 --> 00:19:49,680
It was like, it felt like you were
in the center of the universe.
461
,190 --> 00:19:51,600
Marc Preston: There was
a lady who was the chef.
462
,600 --> 00:19:52,050
Right.
463
,050 --> 00:19:53,190
And that was kind of storyline.
464
,250 --> 00:19:53,430
Okay.
465
,430 --> 00:19:53,940
See, I now,
466
,110 --> 00:19:56,760
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: and I
played her sous chef on the.
467
,540 --> 00:19:58,440
Marc Preston: Now it's coming back to me.
468
,440 --> 00:20:01,290
I don't always trust my memory,
but you know, I'm trying to think.
469
,290 --> 00:20:05,400
The di uh, uh, um, God, the
director I auditioned for, um.
470
,870 --> 00:20:08,130
I'm trying to remember names.
471
,490 --> 00:20:12,210
Tall guy, actor, um, uh, who
was married to Susan Sarandon.
472
,270 --> 00:20:14,160
Um, I'm drawing a blank on it.
473
,160 --> 00:20:14,340
Okay.
474
,340 --> 00:20:15,030
His name will come to me.
475
,480 --> 00:20:17,430
I remember, if you remember
Second Line Studios.
476
,760 --> 00:20:18,390
Tim Robbins.
477
,390 --> 00:20:19,050
Tim Robbins, yeah.
478
,050 --> 00:20:23,280
That's, he brought me back in her call
back and it was over, uh, at, uh, second
479
,280 --> 00:20:25,530
Line Stages or Second Line Studios.
480
,740 --> 00:20:27,870
It was such a great show and it really.
481
,205 --> 00:20:29,554
For, for a moment.
482
,585 --> 00:20:30,965
'cause this is post-Katrina.
483
,965 --> 00:20:34,385
It captured a lot of what
was going on very accurately.
484
,504 --> 00:20:38,465
You know, as far as, uh, you know, the
impact of the storm and what it had on
485
,465 --> 00:20:42,695
the city and the resonating effects,
which kind of today are still going on.
486
,695 --> 00:20:46,564
But, uh, some of the, the people
created the wire, I think were
487
,564 --> 00:20:47,675
involved in that, if I'm not mistaken.
488
,675 --> 00:20:48,230
David
489
,230 --> 00:20:48,784
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Simon?
490
,534 --> 00:20:49,804
Yeah.
491
,804 --> 00:20:51,455
Was the, was who.
492
,580 --> 00:20:54,885
Yeah, those guys, the same
guys from The Wire were the
493
,885 --> 00:20:57,014
ones who were behind, uh, tme
494
Landing the Role in “Smoke”
,095 --> 00:21:04,935
Marc Preston: The Smoke Project.
495
,935 --> 00:21:05,655
How did that come along?
496
,655 --> 00:21:07,665
Is this this kind of one of
your situations where, you
497
,665 --> 00:21:08,865
know, come in and audition?
498
,865 --> 00:21:11,865
Or did you, did somebody reach out
to you and go, Hey, we got this thing
499
,865 --> 00:21:13,485
happen and we want you to be a part of?
500
,325 --> 00:21:20,565
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Uh, funny
enough, I teach at USC uh, a class where.
501
,105 --> 00:21:25,755
We do like self-tape auditions and make
short films, and I try to talk them
502
,755 --> 00:21:29,595
through the process of whenever I get
an audition and I, I got this audition
503
,595 --> 00:21:36,315
for smoke, uh, and the character so
far removed from any experience I've
504
,315 --> 00:21:39,135
ever had or anything I could even
imagine what life would be like.
505
,705 --> 00:21:43,635
Um, uh, Dennis Lehane describes
the character as the, the
506
,635 --> 00:21:45,015
loneliest man on the planet.
507
,585 --> 00:21:45,765
Uh.
508
,550 --> 00:21:49,830
So I went to my students.
509
,830 --> 00:21:51,870
I said, look, there's
this, I got this audition.
510
,320 --> 00:21:53,460
I'm not right for it.
511
,760 --> 00:21:54,960
Uh, but I'm gonna do whatever.
512
,960 --> 00:21:56,400
I can just do the best I can.
513
,550 --> 00:22:02,130
Sometimes the goal is to do the
least embarrassing job you can do.
514
,690 --> 00:22:07,890
So that was my, my goal was
just the least embarrassing.
515
,890 --> 00:22:10,740
So I, I showed them the
self tape that I did.
516
,400 --> 00:22:12,540
I was like, you know.
517
,305 --> 00:22:13,935
I don't know.
518
,965 --> 00:22:16,755
Then I got a callback, told
them about the callback.
519
,755 --> 00:22:20,055
I was like, I have no idea
what they saw, but here's what
520
,055 --> 00:22:21,345
I'm gonna do for the callback.
521
,215 --> 00:22:27,225
Um, and I did the callback and I
think it was the fastest response
522
,225 --> 00:22:28,935
I'd ever, I've ever gotten to.
523
,935 --> 00:22:32,264
Like a job, like within the hour or so.
524
,745 --> 00:22:33,195
Marc Preston: Really
525
,524 --> 00:22:35,564
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: all like
saying, and it's for a series
526
,564 --> 00:22:37,725
regular role, like a starring role.
527
,725 --> 00:22:40,185
Usually that'd have to go,
gets cleared by the network.
528
,185 --> 00:22:40,725
Marc Preston: Network.
529
,725 --> 00:22:43,935
Yeah, I was about to say, those kind of
things usually are, so they just called
530
,935 --> 00:22:45,104
you up, said, dude, you nailed it.
531
,225 --> 00:22:47,054
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Well,
luckily Dennis Lehan got a little
532
,054 --> 00:22:52,754
bit of clout, so he's a Yeah, full.
533
,550 --> 00:22:56,970
Blanc to do whatever he, not
do whatever he wants, but he
534
,970 --> 00:22:58,379
can clearly make the call.
535
,440 --> 00:23:02,370
So, um, yeah, it was just through an
audition that I didn't think I had a shot
536
,370 --> 00:23:05,250
at getting and somehow landed the role.
537
,490 --> 00:23:09,240
Marc Preston: But where do you fit
in terms of the storyline without
538
,240 --> 00:23:10,501
giving anything away, if you would?
539
,190 --> 00:23:11,280
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
540
,940 --> 00:23:15,660
Uh, um, yeah.
541
,810 --> 00:23:19,740
Uh, Dennis Lehe told me because I was
like baffled, I was like, I don't know.
542
,770 --> 00:23:21,480
I don't have a window into this character.
543
,480 --> 00:23:21,780
I don't.
544
,335 --> 00:23:25,455
I don't, I don't, I can't even imagine
what this guy went through 'cause he is
545
,455 --> 00:23:28,815
gone through hell and back basically.
546
,235 --> 00:23:33,855
Um, and he just told me that he's
the loneliest man on the planet.
547
,575 --> 00:23:35,955
There's a huge void there.
548
,555 --> 00:23:44,055
And we discover to very nefarious ways he
goes and steps he takes to fill that void.
549
,445 --> 00:23:44,685
Yeah.
550
,685 --> 00:23:48,885
The story is ultimately about love loss.
551
,260 --> 00:23:50,550
And revenge.
552
,790 --> 00:23:52,455
So we get to see my character sort of.
553
,100 --> 00:23:54,270
Go through that arc.
554
,660 --> 00:23:56,190
Marc Preston: Where, where did
y'all shoot this, by the way?
555
,460 --> 00:23:57,720
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
We shot it in Vancouver.
556
,080 --> 00:24:00,120
Marc Preston: Seems like a lot of folks
I speak to these days are all like,
557
,120 --> 00:24:02,070
yeah, Vancouver v Vancouver comes up.
558
,250 --> 00:24:06,000
Apparently there's a hotel where
everybody seems to stay at in Vancouver,
559
,150 --> 00:24:08,790
uh, of all the different productions
going on, from what I understand.
560
,845 --> 00:24:10,080
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah, yeah.
561
,620 --> 00:24:12,330
Um, yeah, we shot it in Vancouver.
562
,450 --> 00:24:14,670
Uh, it's incredibly gorgeous up there.
563
,670 --> 00:24:20,190
We shot through springtime, um, uh,
March through July, I think it was.
564
,820 --> 00:24:21,120
Um.
565
,945 --> 00:24:24,405
So it was just stunning.
566
,125 --> 00:24:25,304
Yeah.
567
,304 --> 00:24:26,804
To be up there during that time of year.
568
,044 --> 00:24:29,115
Marc Preston: I've never been to
Vancouver, but everybody I speak
569
,115 --> 00:24:32,565
with these days seems to have done
a swing through Vancouver, you know?
570
,595 --> 00:24:32,685
Mm-hmm.
571
,135 --> 00:24:34,845
Um, you've done this for a while.
572
,115 --> 00:24:35,325
Uh.
573
,855 --> 00:24:37,695
Are you point a bank
574
,695 --> 00:24:38,175
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: card?
575
,565 --> 00:24:42,495
97 I think it was, or you've been 95.
576
,495 --> 00:24:44,385
Sorry, I think it was 95.
577
,385 --> 00:24:45,645
I can tell you the exact date.
578
,645 --> 00:24:49,514
January 27th, 1995.
579
Unexpected Career Paths
,995 --> 00:24:50,385
Marc Preston: Crazy.
580
,655 --> 00:24:51,465
I still remember.
581
,855 --> 00:24:55,245
Uh, my, my first was actually
for doing voiceovers to a GTE
582
,245 --> 00:24:56,745
commercial with Patrick Stewart.
583
,075 --> 00:24:59,385
You know, it was, was, but
hey, however you get it, you
584
,385 --> 00:25:00,405
get it, you know, so, yeah.
585
,825 --> 00:25:03,885
But no, it's, but you've been doing it
long enough to where now you, you kind of
586
,885 --> 00:25:07,784
have a sense of like what you wanna do,
what would, what you haven't done that you
587
,784 --> 00:25:12,585
wanna do, or it's something you have done,
you wanna, you know, be a film, uh, or tv
588
,585 --> 00:25:15,615
or a series, or a directing or anything.
589
,615 --> 00:25:18,345
Is there anything on the radar you're
like, God, I have not done this.
590
,524 --> 00:25:20,385
I want to do this, or I wanna do it again.
591
,985 --> 00:25:24,735
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I gotta confess
the, some of the biggest jobs I've got,
592
,915 --> 00:25:31,665
you know, just like smoke or even on the
shy, were things were not on my radar,
593
,845 --> 00:25:36,675
were not something I thought was in
even my wheelhouse that I didn't think
594
,675 --> 00:25:40,335
I could, I had the skillset to do so.
595
,650 --> 00:25:46,140
Uh, funny enough, the things that I
think I'm, I'm right for, I haven't
596
,140 --> 00:25:50,220
got, but the things I'm, I'm like
not even close remotely close to the
597
,220 --> 00:25:54,930
character for somehow they end up,
you know, landing at my doorstep.
598
,930 --> 00:25:58,800
So I am open to being
pleasantly surprised.
599
,800 --> 00:25:58,890
I see.
600
,175 --> 00:26:04,665
Because my own personal expectations of
not, um, I'm still not sure how, what they
601
,665 --> 00:26:08,685
saw in some of the, I'm still baffled,
like some of the things I've landed.
602
,225 --> 00:26:10,455
Marc Preston: Isn't that a weird paradigm?
603
,455 --> 00:26:13,155
I mean, I, I know I've done stuff
where I'm like, oh, you kinda walk
604
,155 --> 00:26:14,355
it going, well, that was an audition.
605
,355 --> 00:26:15,885
I mean, you know, don't
think anything of it.
606
,335 --> 00:26:17,205
And then you book it.
607
,205 --> 00:26:19,545
And then other ones you're
like, I nailed this thing.
608
,545 --> 00:26:19,995
Oh, there's.
609
,330 --> 00:26:22,430
I, I was in the zone and you don't get it.
610
,430 --> 00:26:25,670
So it's just kind of this weird, you
know, what's that phrase, man plans,
611
,670 --> 00:26:27,320
God laughs kind of a thing, you know?
612
,320 --> 00:26:29,030
It's like you just gotta
go in and do the thing.
613
,030 --> 00:26:30,170
And you get it, you get it.
614
,170 --> 00:26:32,810
But you know, you've had a
great constellation of stuff.
615
,840 --> 00:26:34,850
The shy, that's one thing I've not seen.
616
,150 --> 00:26:35,930
It's on my list.
617
,930 --> 00:26:36,800
So is Dexter.
618
,800 --> 00:26:39,230
There are a few shows
that are on the list.
619
,495 --> 00:26:41,895
You know, and you know, there's
so much stuff out there these days
620
,895 --> 00:26:44,189
that I haven't had a chance to, it's
possible to keep up with everything.
621
,500 --> 00:26:44,790
Yeah.
622
,790 --> 00:26:44,990
Yeah.
623
,014 --> 00:26:45,705
It's impossible.
624
,705 --> 00:26:49,274
I mean, there's so much, there's a,
there's so much great stuff, uh, that,
625
,365 --> 00:26:52,875
you know, I'm almost embarrassed to say
some things I haven't seen, but the,
626
,875 --> 00:26:56,670
uh, but Dexter, the, the, the reboot,
I mean, I. No, it's not a reboot.
627
,670 --> 00:26:58,590
It's, it's, this is the
one where the we're, yeah.
628
,680 --> 00:26:58,920
It's a
629
,920 --> 00:26:59,760
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: franchise now.
630
,900 --> 00:27:02,430
Various iterations of the show.
631
,430 --> 00:27:04,285
So it's, it's, it's, uh, yeah.
632
,380 --> 00:27:05,070
Not a reboot.
633
,075 --> 00:27:06,600
It's like, it's a literally franchise.
634
,600 --> 00:27:08,880
It's like Star Trek has
different iterations.
635
,970 --> 00:27:10,170
Marc Preston: Yeah, true, true, true.
636
,230 --> 00:27:10,560
Yeah.
637
,070 --> 00:27:12,510
I lost track after a while.
638
,510 --> 00:27:15,720
You know, I was like, you know, my son
is big into the, uh, Marvel universe.
639
,720 --> 00:27:17,220
I'm like, I, he tries to explain it to me.
640
,220 --> 00:27:18,300
I'm like, I, my head hurts.
641
,300 --> 00:27:21,750
I'm like, okay, can we, 'cause this is
the older guy and me going, can we just.
642
,960 --> 00:27:25,140
Get a list in order of which of how
I'm supposed to watch everything.
643
Family and Acting
,140 --> 00:27:25,560
You know?
644
,950 --> 00:27:28,740
By the way, what do your kids think,
you know, or have they, you know, seen
645
,740 --> 00:27:32,880
you on TV or in film or something, you
know, do they have any kind of feedback?
646
,880 --> 00:27:36,180
Do they see you as an actor, do
they, or does it, is it kind of weird
647
,180 --> 00:27:37,830
for them to see you on, on screen?
648
,160 --> 00:27:42,240
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I just came from
seeing my daughter do a school play today.
649
,840 --> 00:27:47,460
Uh, a play that the, her and her
classmates, along with her teacher
650
,460 --> 00:27:49,980
wrote, they did the original story, uh.
651
,240 --> 00:27:55,560
To their costumes and, uh,
staged these things over several
652
,560 --> 00:27:58,379
weeks and I was blown away.
653
,950 --> 00:28:00,930
Uh, yeah, it was just incredible.
654
,379 --> 00:28:04,860
Um, so my daughter has definitely
got the, sort of the bug.
655
,129 --> 00:28:09,600
She likes to help me study my lines,
uh, like read through the script.
656
,900 --> 00:28:09,930
Marc Preston: Okay.
657
,075 --> 00:28:12,155
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
And she even sometimes.
658
,155 --> 00:28:12,425
So you
659
,425 --> 00:28:13,505
Marc Preston: have a young reader?
660
,510 --> 00:28:13,750
Yeah.
661
,165 --> 00:28:14,525
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
662
,675 --> 00:28:16,505
She likes to do rewrites too.
663
,505 --> 00:28:18,395
She'll write her own
version of the scripts.
664
,145 --> 00:28:21,045
Uh, and my son Now is this, is
665
,045 --> 00:28:22,715
Marc Preston: this a 6-year-old or The
666
,830 --> 00:28:23,310
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: 8-year-old?
667
,310 --> 00:28:24,071
Marc Preston: 8-year-old.
668
,305 --> 00:28:24,665
Okay.
669
,145 --> 00:28:27,815
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: But my
6-year-old is, is like a superstar.
670
,815 --> 00:28:31,385
He just, he's the kind of person that
my, my daughter is more reserved,
671
,955 --> 00:28:37,475
uh uh and you know, a bit more shy,
but my son is the extrovert and.
672
,520 --> 00:28:41,310
Walks into the room and, and
all the focus goes to him.
673
,310 --> 00:28:43,020
He's just like a superstar.
674
,560 --> 00:28:44,730
So he, he has his own.
675
,730 --> 00:28:44,850
So
676
,850 --> 00:28:46,890
Marc Preston: which one were you
more like when you were young?
677
,890 --> 00:28:49,667
Were you more gregarious or were you more
kind of in your, in, in your own head?
678
,667 --> 00:28:49,668
No,
679
,920 --> 00:28:49,980
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: no.
680
,980 --> 00:28:53,910
I was the quiet, I was the quiet
kid on the fly, on the wall.
681
,180 --> 00:28:56,340
I like preferred to be
a behind the camera.
682
,635 --> 00:29:01,045
Uh, documenting all of our family
occasions and yeah, sort of disappearing.
683
,585 --> 00:29:02,935
Marc Preston: Do you have
any brothers or sisters?
684
,205 --> 00:29:03,715
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I do.
685
,715 --> 00:29:05,065
I'm the eldest of four.
686
,155 --> 00:29:08,395
Marc Preston: Do they live in,
uh, in New York or in New England?
687
,425 --> 00:29:12,745
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: They're
all over, uh, in South Carolina,
688
,745 --> 00:29:15,865
in la in, uh, Maryland.
689
,305 --> 00:29:19,275
So yeah, we're, we're all over the place.
690
,365 --> 00:29:21,255
Marc Preston: But you're the
only actor in the family, right?
691
,395 --> 00:29:22,515
Yes.
692
,515 --> 00:29:25,935
Usually it's just one odd kid out, you
know, that decided to do this thing.
693
Cultural Connections and Cooking
,025 --> 00:29:26,295
You know?
694
,835 --> 00:29:30,405
I'm curious though, like for your kids,
do they, have you had a chance to take
695
,405 --> 00:29:34,365
them back to Uganda to show them, to
kind of like let, or are you waiting
696
,365 --> 00:29:37,095
till they're just a little bit older
to appreciate it a little bit more?
697
,305 --> 00:29:39,585
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: No, my
daughter's been three times.
698
,975 --> 00:29:41,010
My son's been twice.
699
,320 --> 00:29:43,365
Both the kids were baptized in Uganda.
700
,840 --> 00:29:47,050
So we have a strong connection at home.
701
,379 --> 00:29:49,449
Marc Preston: Do you still have a
big extended family out that way?
702
,750 --> 00:29:50,199
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yes.
703
,199 --> 00:29:53,500
Very big extended family that,
that welcomes us with open
704
,500 --> 00:29:54,760
arms every time we come back.
705
,120 --> 00:29:59,439
Uh, so it's been really great to
have, um, my kids forming their
706
,439 --> 00:30:05,980
bond with their cousins over there
and connecting with, uh, food.
707
,070 --> 00:30:11,050
Like there's nothing like fruit
and vegetables in Uganda when you
708
,050 --> 00:30:12,790
go there and you taste a mango.
709
,665 --> 00:30:17,565
Or even, you know, and you come back
to the states, you're just like, it
710
,565 --> 00:30:19,545
tastes like paper here compared to like
711
,750 --> 00:30:19,870
Marc Preston: Yeah.
712
,875 --> 00:30:20,055
Yeah.
713
,055 --> 00:30:25,755
I know a lot of our produce is more
bread, uh, to be more durable, if
714
,755 --> 00:30:28,605
you will, for lack of a better way of
putting it when it gets into the grocery
715
,605 --> 00:30:31,305
and uh, make it bullet, I think the
phrase bulletproof or something like
716
,305 --> 00:30:32,745
this thing about tomatoes or whatever.
717
,805 --> 00:30:37,035
And that's funny 'cause I grew some of
my own tomatoes once, uh, a couple times.
718
,035 --> 00:30:38,325
One very unsuccessfully.
719
,325 --> 00:30:38,535
One.
720
,535 --> 00:30:39,645
I got some, I'm like, wait a minute.
721
,675 --> 00:30:42,225
This is a little bit different than
what I'm getting at the grocery.
722
,225 --> 00:30:43,185
You know, it's like, wait a minute.
723
,185 --> 00:30:43,395
You know?
724
,395 --> 00:30:45,825
So there, there's this whole
other world out there, you know?
725
,365 --> 00:30:49,605
Do you do any kind of cooking or
anything that, that like where
726
,605 --> 00:30:52,815
you kind of keep that part of your
culture alive around the house?
727
,625 --> 00:30:56,685
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I am
very poor on the cooking front.
728
,254 --> 00:30:59,715
Uh, my wife's got all
the, the skillset on that.
729
,774 --> 00:31:02,325
My daughter now is starting
to like, make her own omelets
730
,415 --> 00:31:04,004
and I can make french toast.
731
,175 --> 00:31:04,264
Well,
732
,955 --> 00:31:06,575
Marc Preston: that's all that
makes any difference in the world.
733
,575 --> 00:31:07,385
It's a good Sunday morning.
734
,385 --> 00:31:08,315
A stack of french toast.
735
,315 --> 00:31:09,695
Kid's gonna be plenty happy, you know?
736
,085 --> 00:31:12,335
But what, where's your, uh,
wife's family from, by the way?
737
,335 --> 00:31:15,754
Is she a, does she have any
connection to Uganda by any chance?
738
,754 --> 00:31:18,034
Or is she a straight up American kid?
739
,419 --> 00:31:20,310
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
Bed-Stuy do or die.
740
,179 --> 00:31:21,360
Okay.
741
,620 --> 00:31:24,060
Marc Preston: Need say
no more there, you know?
742
Upcoming Projects
,060 --> 00:31:26,250
But so what, what do
you have coming up next?
743
,250 --> 00:31:30,120
What's the, what's the next thing you're
working on that you can tell us about?
744
,210 --> 00:31:30,425
You know?
745
,425 --> 00:31:30,625
Yeah.
746
,625 --> 00:31:31,320
What you got coming up.
747
,320 --> 00:31:31,350
Uh,
748
,310 --> 00:31:37,379
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I feel like I
have this perfect trifecta of things
749
,379 --> 00:31:41,429
that have been like the biggest things
I've ever worked on, about to like.
750
,629 --> 00:31:43,199
Come out.
751
,260 --> 00:31:47,189
One is this documentary Memories
of Love Returned, which I, I've
752
,189 --> 00:31:49,139
spent the past 22 years working on.
753
,260 --> 00:31:54,149
Uh, I was fortunate to have really Stephen
Soderberg come on as executive producer.
754
,689 --> 00:32:00,929
It's been garnishing awards at
festivals on multiple continents.
755
,439 --> 00:32:05,550
Uh, just screened in New York, uh,
screening in Washington, DC this weekend.
756
,120 --> 00:32:09,419
Um, that, and then my.
757
,850 --> 00:32:13,150
Uh, smoke is premiering,
uh, the Apple TV series.
758
,150 --> 00:32:18,400
I'm starring on premieres at Tribeca,
and then Dexter Resurrection is
759
,400 --> 00:32:21,580
premiering on, uh, July 11th.
760
,000 --> 00:32:27,520
So all three things will be
on screen at the same time.
761
,945 --> 00:32:29,085
Uh, over the coming months.
762
,085 --> 00:32:30,435
So I, so what you're trying to say is
763
,435 --> 00:32:31,455
Marc Preston: you're not busy at all.
764
,455 --> 00:32:33,525
You're just kind of sitting
around the house and, uh,
765
,145 --> 00:32:36,315
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I
couldn't be more grateful.
766
,315 --> 00:32:42,765
I mean, you know, this, we've gone through
a huge, huge, uh, um, structural change
767
,765 --> 00:32:44,535
in the business after the double strikes.
768
,895 --> 00:32:48,315
I have plenty of friends who haven't
worked since before the strikes,
769
,915 --> 00:32:51,345
so I'm counting my blessings to.
770
,530 --> 00:32:56,040
Be busy at this point because
it's, it's, it's, it's really
771
,040 --> 00:32:57,060
tough out there right now.
772
,330 --> 00:32:59,490
Marc Preston: So now, when
does the documentary come out?
773
,520 --> 00:33:01,260
Memories of Love Returned, right.
774
,260 --> 00:33:01,875
That's the name of it.
775
,715 --> 00:33:04,425
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah, it's
been hitting, it's been on the festival
776
,425 --> 00:33:06,345
circuit since October of last year.
777
,765 --> 00:33:15,285
Uh, it's screened in, uh, from LA to
New York to Washington DC I was just
778
,285 --> 00:33:17,025
up in the Berkshires last weekend.
779
,445 --> 00:33:22,545
Uh, it was in London and Lagos,
Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
780
,545 --> 00:33:27,375
So it's, it's been doing quite the
run and, um, yeah, hopefully it'll.
781
,705 --> 00:33:30,405
Get some distribution so it
can be seen by a wider audience
782
,705 --> 00:33:32,085
beyond the festival circuit.
783
,175 --> 00:33:33,705
Marc Preston: It's a Ugandan story, right?
784
,710 --> 00:33:36,675
Uh, uh, the, um, it was about
a photographer, I think.
785
,675 --> 00:33:40,274
I mean, pardon my, I I'm try to
bring back, uh, what I read about
786
,274 --> 00:33:43,875
it, but it was, it's, it's about a
photographer's work or a studio or
787
,875 --> 00:33:46,635
something like that, that you explored.
788
,635 --> 00:33:47,565
Is that kind of what it's about?
789
,955 --> 00:33:49,695
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: It's
about Ugandan photographer
790
,365 --> 00:33:55,815
whose work spanned from the 1950s.
791
,879 --> 00:33:59,850
Up till 2006 or five decades of work.
792
,389 --> 00:34:02,580
And he was a bit of a
rock star in his region.
793
,969 --> 00:34:06,120
Uh, 'cause he was the only
photographer, uh, for his district.
794
,389 --> 00:34:10,859
So thousands of people would come to his
studio to photograph, be photographed.
795
,250 --> 00:34:13,500
He would also travel to weddings.
796
,500 --> 00:34:14,609
He had a motorcycle.
797
,730 --> 00:34:15,000
He was
798
,239 --> 00:34:18,029
Marc Preston: Oh, so, so this is a
photographer, like of events and whatnot.
799
,029 --> 00:34:20,609
He's not necessarily like
an Ansel Adams out doing.
800
,909 --> 00:34:22,440
Pastoral pictures and whatnot.
801
,500 --> 00:34:26,190
This, this is actually somebody
that recorded events and whatnot.
802
,490 --> 00:34:29,490
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: He would say
the Ansel Adams of portrait photography.
803
,120 --> 00:34:30,121
Okay.
804
,200 --> 00:34:33,900
Because he captured people in
incredibly beautiful landscapes.
805
,409 --> 00:34:37,530
Uh, there's a beautiful wedding
photograph of this couple.
806
,560 --> 00:34:41,010
They're standing on a, a grass
thatch mat, and in the background
807
,010 --> 00:34:44,010
is just miles of horizon.
808
,325 --> 00:34:46,935
Of this, you know, almost like an
Ansel Adam photograph where you
809
,935 --> 00:34:49,875
see this mountain range way in the
background and these rolling hills.
810
,295 --> 00:34:52,245
So he captured not just incredible.
811
,785 --> 00:34:57,585
Photos of people celebrating moments of
love, but also captured them in their
812
,825 --> 00:35:01,995
natural environments, uh, in addition
to shooting them in their studio.
813
,595 --> 00:35:06,435
Uh, and I had mounted a large scale
outdoor exhibit of his work in the first
814
,435 --> 00:35:12,195
exhibit of its kind in his village,
um, which displayed over 5,000 images.
815
,795 --> 00:35:15,990
Uh, and you can imagine
how all of us carry our.
816
,190 --> 00:35:21,630
Thousands of photos on our phones
and imagine if we've all lost
817
,630 --> 00:35:23,370
our pho photos somehow or not.
818
,370 --> 00:35:23,460
Mm-hmm.
819
,700 --> 00:35:28,140
But imagine if five decades worth of
phone photos were lost from a whole
820
,140 --> 00:35:29,910
village, like from a whole town.
821
,570 --> 00:35:35,009
And if those pictures somehow resurfaced,
so that's what, is that what happened?
822
,009 --> 00:35:35,220
I mean,
823
,610 --> 00:35:37,620
Marc Preston: they, like all of
his, the body of his work was.
824
,965 --> 00:35:40,335
Just nobody knew where it was,
had it just kind of resurfaced.
825
,335 --> 00:35:40,695
Is that
826
,700 --> 00:35:43,395
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: He was, he was
a, like a portrait photographer in the
827
,395 --> 00:35:48,134
sense that he would make his photos
and give the prints to his subjects.
828
,255 --> 00:35:50,835
He didn't have a public
display of all of his work.
829
,835 --> 00:35:51,555
He didn't have a book.
830
,555 --> 00:35:52,485
He wasn't published.
831
,265 --> 00:35:53,384
Oh, okay.
832
,384 --> 00:35:57,675
So this was the first time the community
was getting to see this vast body of
833
,675 --> 00:36:03,525
work, thousands upon thousands of images
and discovering long lost family members,
834
,065 --> 00:36:07,455
seeing people who'd passed, uh, seeing.
835
,964 --> 00:36:11,805
Uh, there was a young man, Johnson
Macon, whose father and mother had passed
836
,805 --> 00:36:14,895
away at a young age who had never seen
a photograph of his parents before.
837
,884 --> 00:36:16,245
Uh,
838
,335 --> 00:36:17,745
Marc Preston: and discovered
that at the exhibit.
839
,135 --> 00:36:21,525
Was his impression of himself, was
he just, okay, I'm a por portrait
840
,525 --> 00:36:22,755
photographer, that's what I do.
841
,755 --> 00:36:25,845
But it seems like the story
you're telling is he's like,
842
,845 --> 00:36:27,285
again, he's kind of an archivist.
843
,285 --> 00:36:32,180
He is kind of a storyteller for a visual
storyteller for, you know, uh, yeah.
844
,295 --> 00:36:32,325
I
845
,325 --> 00:36:34,395
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
wouldn't say it was inadvertent.
846
,665 --> 00:36:35,085
Uh, I don't know.
847
,085 --> 00:36:36,615
That would be a good way to describe him.
848
,675 --> 00:36:37,965
'cause he was an artist.
849
,055 --> 00:36:38,460
Uh mm-hmm.
850
,595 --> 00:36:41,805
He was intentional in his
work and he loved what he did.
851
,315 --> 00:36:45,195
Uh, and he managed to do it for 50 years.
852
,035 --> 00:36:48,735
Uh, and collected and kept
his work and preserved it.
853
,885 --> 00:36:53,205
Uh, unfortunately he passed away before
I was able to share his work further.
854
,505 --> 00:36:57,945
Um, but I, this documentary is
my way of keeping my promise
855
,945 --> 00:36:59,235
to getting his work out there.
856
The Seven Questions
,970 --> 00:37:08,565
Marc Preston: Before we get running, I
always got what I call my seven questions.
857
,565 --> 00:37:10,065
I like to kind of throw on the back end.
858
,065 --> 00:37:12,135
Uh, we, we always talk again.
859
,135 --> 00:37:13,695
We've talked food a
little bit earlier, but.
860
,610 --> 00:37:19,650
The first question I got for you is,
what is your favorite, your comfort food?
861
,650 --> 00:37:21,900
Something that just good day or bad day.
862
,900 --> 00:37:24,870
It just, it just is what
you, it makes you feel good.
863
,070 --> 00:37:30,630
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Uh, you
mentioned it earlier, uh, Ethiopian food.
864
,259 --> 00:37:31,529
Yeah.
865
,529 --> 00:37:35,910
One of my favorite things to do is
wherever I am in the world, is to find
866
,910 --> 00:37:39,720
the local Ethiopian restaurant, try
it out, and then rate it and see, you
867
,720 --> 00:37:42,210
know, where it falls within the, uh.
868
,859 --> 00:37:46,169
All the Ethiopian cuisines
I've tried all over the world.
869
,620 --> 00:37:50,730
Uh, I can't must say that the, the
best has been, of course, in Ethiopia.
870
,689 --> 00:37:51,899
Yeah.
871
,169 --> 00:37:56,399
Um, but there's been some, you know,
there's a great place in Brooklyn, I
872
,399 --> 00:38:00,779
think Ross, uh, vegan Ethiopian spot.
873
,839 --> 00:38:03,990
Um, that's like our Sunday tradition.
874
,319 --> 00:38:08,459
Me and the family go to our favorite
Ethiopian restaurant, awash in.
875
,200 --> 00:38:11,009
Break bread together.
876
,220 --> 00:38:11,370
Marc Preston: Yeah.
877
,370 --> 00:38:15,480
I was a big fan of, uh, Anthony Bourdain
is, it seems like the peanuts are a lot.
878
,944 --> 00:38:18,285
Or used a lot more in cooking there,
which I think is kind of cool,
879
,285 --> 00:38:21,464
you know, but the breads as well,
like the way you, I don't know.
880
,464 --> 00:38:23,654
See, you can tell 'em I haven't
had lunch yet 'cause I'm getting
881
,654 --> 00:38:23,955
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: hungry.
882
,955 --> 00:38:24,015
Yeah.
883
,015 --> 00:38:26,475
I don't think they have a, I don't think
there's, I don't think there's a peanut
884
,475 --> 00:38:28,154
dish in Ethiopian food that I'm aware of.
885
,365 --> 00:38:32,115
Um, but they use a lot of, you
know, beans and legumes and.
886
,145 --> 00:38:34,634
Yeah, that are my favorites.
887
,145 --> 00:38:37,065
Marc Preston: Well, I do have to
say my only Ethiopian experience
888
,065 --> 00:38:39,705
was when I was at Texas Tech
University in Lubbock, Texas.
889
,705 --> 00:38:42,825
So I don't know if that would be a
hotbed of Ethiopian food necessarily.
890
,915 --> 00:38:44,830
So I just remember there
was, I'll let you know
891
,830 --> 00:38:47,775
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: when I go to, when
I go to Austin in a couple weeks, what?
892
,775 --> 00:38:49,605
But I know I've been to Austin before.
893
,279 --> 00:38:53,130
And I found an Ethiopian restaurant
there that I really loved.
894
,279 --> 00:38:54,424
I can't remember the name of it, but,
895
,565 --> 00:38:57,029
Marc Preston: oh, it
Austin's a great eating town.
896
,060 --> 00:38:57,509
Yeah, Austin.
897
,630 --> 00:38:58,650
It's just a neat place.
898
,650 --> 00:39:00,630
I really love Austin, you're
gonna have a great time.
899
,765 --> 00:39:03,540
The, the next question I got for you,
if you're gonna sit down at a table for
900
,540 --> 00:39:06,900
a few hours, you're gonna talk story
with, uh, three people, you, and so
901
,900 --> 00:39:10,770
four of y'all at the table, living or
not, who would you like to be sitting at
902
,770 --> 00:39:12,750
that table with you, uh, talking story?
903
,830 --> 00:39:16,859
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Um,
that's a great question.
904
,859 --> 00:39:16,920
Uh.
905
,870 --> 00:39:24,600
I have to say, you know, one of the
biggest influences on me was, uh, Gandhi,
906
,980 --> 00:39:31,830
um, and his book, uh, my experiments,
his autobiography, my experiments with
907
,830 --> 00:39:34,470
the truth really transformed my life.
908
,920 --> 00:39:39,300
So if I was, I could say
that he would be one.
909
,300 --> 00:39:42,030
But you know, these people, when you
think about going back in time to try
910
,030 --> 00:39:44,970
to talk to people, for me that's always.
911
,885 --> 00:39:49,875
Like, how would you explain to them,
like how things have transformed,
912
,265 --> 00:39:53,445
you'd be trying to explain to
them like, like how life has
913
,445 --> 00:39:54,795
changed so much that I don't know.
914
,795 --> 00:39:58,815
That you could have, you'd have to
almost go back in time to, to like do
915
,815 --> 00:40:02,265
a clean slate so you could, so yeah.
916
,265 --> 00:40:04,515
I, I don't even know if I want,
well, you know, I think some of those
917
,515 --> 00:40:08,445
Marc Preston: people probably under, if
the ones that understood human nature
918
,475 --> 00:40:12,615
very well and the way things can change,
probably not saying, could predict, but
919
,615 --> 00:40:14,055
could go Yeah, I could see that coming.
920
,335 --> 00:40:17,485
You know, I can see you electing
that guy or doing this thing, or
921
,485 --> 00:40:21,145
you know, Gandhi or a lot of those
folks understood the human condition,
922
,205 --> 00:40:22,495
the, the good, the bad, the ugly.
923
,495 --> 00:40:24,805
You know, so maybe they, but yeah,
it'd be kind of hard to explain.
924
,805 --> 00:40:27,685
It's like, yeah, we got this, this phone
thing here low, which is, you know,
925
,895 --> 00:40:30,775
got all the information at fingertips,
yet we're somehow less educated.
926
,865 --> 00:40:31,915
Dunno how that's possible.
927
,945 --> 00:40:35,485
So Gandhi would be a wonderful one, but
who else would you like to sit down with,
928
,575 --> 00:40:39,385
uh, uh, that you think, not just with
you, but you know, it's kind of watching
929
,385 --> 00:40:41,005
their conversation together as well.
930
,355 --> 00:40:45,075
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah, somebody
I'm still in awe of is Paul Robeson.
931
,645 --> 00:40:49,995
Uh, like how he managed to do what
he did in the time that he did.
932
,505 --> 00:40:53,655
Uh, uh, yeah.
933
,775 --> 00:40:59,265
Um, the Creative Mind of Duke
Ellington, like, uh, I love
934
,265 --> 00:41:00,675
his, not his autobiography.
935
,680 --> 00:41:01,935
Music is my mistress.
936
,595 --> 00:41:08,925
Um, I'm trying to think of people
beyond artists, but artists are the
937
,925 --> 00:41:10,635
ones coming to mind at the first.
938
,680 --> 00:41:10,770
Hmm.
939
,460 --> 00:41:12,270
In the forefront.
940
,569 --> 00:41:19,109
Um, I had a chance to meet Anthony
Bourdain when we were working on reme.
941
,589 --> 00:41:20,040
Marc Preston: Oh yeah.
942
,105 --> 00:41:20,910
He, oh yeah.
943
,910 --> 00:41:24,569
He wrote, oh, that he wrote the,
uh, yeah, he wrote the things
944
,569 --> 00:41:25,379
happened in the restaurant.
945
,379 --> 00:41:27,569
He was actually writing though
that part of the screenplay?
946
,629 --> 00:41:27,899
Correct.
947
,080 --> 00:41:28,379
Okay.
948
,470 --> 00:41:28,799
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Yeah.
949
,950 --> 00:41:32,460
So he got to meet and he, you
know, if we're talking about
950
,460 --> 00:41:36,930
people who have passed, uh,
and he sort of set the bar for.
951
,485 --> 00:41:41,265
Those road shows, uh,
traveling around the world?
952
,835 --> 00:41:42,165
Well, I thought
953
,345 --> 00:41:45,105
Marc Preston: to my mind, he was
his own kind of poet, you know, and,
954
,105 --> 00:41:49,005
and there's a, there's a meme that's
floating around that, that says he tried
955
,005 --> 00:41:52,815
with all of his might to prove kinda
like we're more alike than different,
956
,815 --> 00:41:54,255
and to not be afraid of one another.
957
,285 --> 00:41:56,295
You know, that kind of a
thing, you know, culturally.
958
,355 --> 00:41:57,915
And, uh, I think he, you know.
959
,080 --> 00:42:00,180
I just, I just think he, he's one fellow.
960
,180 --> 00:42:01,650
I always wish I had an
opportunity to speak.
961
,650 --> 00:42:04,980
I've, I had a chance to speak with a lot
of folks either worked with him and, or,
962
,130 --> 00:42:09,150
you know, like, uh, we're also, you know,
chefs who were known on TV and whatnot.
963
,150 --> 00:42:12,900
But, but of course writing
was where he kind of broke out
964
,900 --> 00:42:14,819
from just working in a kitchen.
965
,910 --> 00:42:15,210
Yeah.
966
,330 --> 00:42:17,549
But it kind of came full circle
and brought it back, you know.
967
,549 --> 00:42:21,060
So did he have any input or
feedback with you as far as, you
968
,060 --> 00:42:23,580
know, watching the performance
and go, okay, this is kind of how.
969
,285 --> 00:42:27,075
You conduct yourself in the kitchen,
you know, 'cause you know it's
970
,075 --> 00:42:30,435
its own culture, you know, those
kitchens can be their own world.
971
,435 --> 00:42:33,400
Did he have any advice for you
whenever you were Yeah, his,
972
,500 --> 00:42:37,815
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: his book, his
book on, you know, kitchen Confidential
973
,115 --> 00:42:39,645
or Kitchen Confidential was my Bible.
974
,645 --> 00:42:41,535
During that time, I would just.
975
,090 --> 00:42:46,350
Pouring through that and the, the secrecy
revealed in the book and also on set.
976
,350 --> 00:42:48,210
Were just illuminating.
977
,600 --> 00:42:49,740
Uh, yeah.
978
,980 --> 00:42:52,050
Marc Preston: Now, if we were to go
back when you were a young man and
979
,050 --> 00:42:55,440
you had your very first celebrity
crush, somebody saw as like, oh my
980
,440 --> 00:42:58,110
God, I got just hard to believe.
981
,110 --> 00:42:59,250
They're, they exist in the world.
982
,250 --> 00:43:00,510
I want to know them.
983
,540 --> 00:43:02,880
You know, who was your
first celebrity crush?
984
,050 --> 00:43:04,680
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Wow.
985
,100 --> 00:43:05,610
Um.
986
,365 --> 00:43:10,515
I had have to say probably Janet Jackson.
987
,475 --> 00:43:16,484
Uh, yeah, I think that was
probably one of the first,
988
,174 --> 00:43:17,415
Marc Preston: yeah.
989
,415 --> 00:43:20,745
Uh, one of the first concerts I ever
saw with Think was her Black Cat tour.
990
,865 --> 00:43:22,455
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: I've
never seen her in concert.
991
,665 --> 00:43:25,185
Um, but yeah, we're
around the same age-ish.
992
,305 --> 00:43:26,924
Uh, so we, yeah.
993
,924 --> 00:43:30,524
But I remember seeing her on,
uh, when she was act, doing a
994
,524 --> 00:43:31,694
lot of acting stuff as a kid.
995
,740 --> 00:43:31,799
Yeah.
996
,729 --> 00:43:33,600
Marc Preston: Oh yeah, that's right.
997
,600 --> 00:43:35,430
She did do a, she did do a lot of acting.
998
,430 --> 00:43:36,270
I forgot about that.
999
,750 --> 00:43:37,830
Um, with different strokes.
1000
,830 --> 00:43:39,390
Was it You're going real old school?
1001
,390 --> 00:43:40,904
I was going, uh, that was, I'm giving
1002
,904 --> 00:43:41,520
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: away my age.
1003
,524 --> 00:43:41,745
Yeah, yeah.
1004
,649 --> 00:43:44,129
Marc Preston: No, no.
1005
,129 --> 00:43:44,609
Different strokes.
1006
,609 --> 00:43:46,379
That was, that was my, uh, yeah.
1007
,379 --> 00:43:47,339
Different strokes and all that.
1008
,399 --> 00:43:50,250
That was when I was, that
was elementary school for me.
1009
,250 --> 00:43:50,399
Yeah.
1010
,430 --> 00:43:51,479
Was it Thursday night?
1011
,509 --> 00:43:53,430
NBC must watch had a, you know.
1012
,630 --> 00:43:54,290
All those shows.
1013
,590 --> 00:43:58,550
Now it, the next question I got for you,
if you were to define, uh, like you're
1014
,550 --> 00:44:01,790
gonna be living on an exotic island, a
beautiful place, you really love being,
1015
,790 --> 00:44:03,170
you're gonna be there a whole year.
1016
,590 --> 00:44:06,020
So somewhere you want to be,
but there's no streaming.
1017
,440 --> 00:44:10,190
So if you wanna listen to music,
you gotta bring one CD or a box set.
1018
,190 --> 00:44:14,360
You can do that, uh, and that you
can listen to over and over again.
1019
,360 --> 00:44:17,060
The same thing with a movie you
can watch over and over again.
1020
,060 --> 00:44:18,920
So what would that CD be?
1021
,120 --> 00:44:22,839
And what would that movie that DVD be that
you would bring with you to the island?
1022
,080 --> 00:44:29,230
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Um, I
think the artists I probably had
1023
,230 --> 00:44:33,100
on replay the most was Miles Davis.
1024
,430 --> 00:44:39,129
Um, and if I had to choose one album, uh.
1025
,575 --> 00:44:43,395
Porgy and Bess blows my
mind every time I hear it.
1026
,634 --> 00:44:43,964
Marc Preston: What now?
1027
,964 --> 00:44:47,625
What movie do you always go back to,
you know, back, you know, kinda one of
1028
,625 --> 00:44:50,444
those movies where if it comes on tv,
you're just gonna keep on watching it.
1029
,504 --> 00:44:52,575
You can watch it over and over,
not really get tired of it.
1030
,294 --> 00:44:54,825
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
Well, with two kids.
1031
,695 --> 00:45:01,365
I, my taste in TV viewing has
been sort of pushed to the side.
1032
,475 --> 00:45:07,425
I can't even say what I watch, you know,
I don't have a, I don't have access to
1033
,425 --> 00:45:11,685
the, to viewing my own viewing stats.
1034
,685 --> 00:45:12,945
It's really what the kids watch.
1035
,425 --> 00:45:17,835
Um, but you know, I've
had, I've had the DVD set.
1036
,569 --> 00:45:21,150
For a homicide life on the street
1037
,839 --> 00:45:21,870
Marc Preston: Uhhuh
1038
,140 --> 00:45:24,240
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: that I've
wanted to watch from beginning to end.
1039
,420 --> 00:45:28,230
And I, I haven't made it through the box
set yet, so if I was on an island i'd,
1040
,230 --> 00:45:29,580
I'd take that box set and try to get, oh,
1041
,205 --> 00:45:30,325
Marc Preston: okay.
1042
,330 --> 00:45:31,830
I just talked to Reed
Diamond the other day.
1043
,830 --> 00:45:33,210
He was, uh, a Olivias on that.
1044
,210 --> 00:45:33,509
Yeah.
1045
,690 --> 00:45:37,290
Now, the next question I got, if you were
to define, I mean, a perfect day from the
1046
,290 --> 00:45:38,605
time you get up to the time you go to bed.
1047
,240 --> 00:45:42,600
All the different com or, or just a few
big component parts that go, okay, if
1048
,600 --> 00:45:45,360
this happens, that's a perfect day for me.
1049
,360 --> 00:45:46,200
What would that be?
1050
,335 --> 00:45:54,000
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: A perfect day
for me is being with my wife and kids
1051
,270 --> 00:46:00,780
in a whole, like new surrounding,
traveling with my camera and tow, uh.
1052
,950 --> 00:46:05,910
Yeah, we just came from the Berkshires,
just a weekend getaway where I film
1053
,910 --> 00:46:09,900
a screening and I took the kids to
where my, I grew up and my old stomping
1054
,900 --> 00:46:11,819
ground, and we stopped by a farm.
1055
,420 --> 00:46:14,670
They got to play with some calfs.
1056
,730 --> 00:46:14,819
Mm-hmm.
1057
,930 --> 00:46:16,650
That was.
1058
,580 --> 00:46:20,759
Just so idyllic and I was able to
document, take pictures of those,
1059
,819 --> 00:46:24,509
those those moments that they'll
hopefully treasure at a later date if
1060
,509 --> 00:46:27,270
they're not wiped off this, the cloud.
1061
,649 --> 00:46:31,680
Um, but yeah, I, I love
traveling with my family.
1062
,680 --> 00:46:36,330
That's like the perfect days being
out with them, with no sort of
1063
,330 --> 00:46:41,669
responsibilities other than just taking
in, uh, our surroundings and the food and.
1064
,390 --> 00:46:43,740
The people and the places,
1065
,920 --> 00:46:46,590
Marc Preston: wherever the wind blows
you at is kind, say that's what you do.
1066
,740 --> 00:46:50,040
Yeah, I, those are the kind of days that
I like the, I think somebody I talked
1067
,040 --> 00:46:53,850
to a few weeks ago said it best wake up
without anything that you have to do.
1068
,030 --> 00:46:57,300
You just kind of wake up whenever you want
and then to see where the day takes you.
1069
,630 --> 00:46:58,230
And I like that.
1070
,500 --> 00:47:03,240
Now, if you weren't doing this,
if the opportunity to act was not
1071
,240 --> 00:47:07,110
there for you, uh, what else could
you see yourself doing that would
1072
,110 --> 00:47:08,820
bring you joy that you would enjoy?
1073
,110 --> 00:47:11,940
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Well, when
I'm not acting, I'm behind the
1074
,940 --> 00:47:16,080
camera and I get immense joy from.
1075
,770 --> 00:47:19,980
Being behind the camera, uh,
directing this film for the
1076
,980 --> 00:47:21,840
past 22 years, working on that.
1077
,350 --> 00:47:25,590
Uh, I'm like the family documentarian,
so I don't know if that counts
1078
,620 --> 00:47:30,210
'cause it's still in the arts, but
yeah, I know when I grow old and uh,
1079
,660 --> 00:47:32,580
I'll still have a camera on in tow.
1080
,880 --> 00:47:34,050
Marc Preston: Does it annoy your kids?
1081
,050 --> 00:47:35,685
You know, like, oh, you
know, you is gotta go tape.
1082
,985 --> 00:47:39,090
You know, are they like, or do they
kind of ham it up for the camera?
1083
,180 --> 00:47:41,880
Or are they kinda like, oh God
again, dad with a camera thing?
1084
,030 --> 00:47:44,970
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: They haven't
got sick of me with a camera yet.
1085
,375 --> 00:47:48,585
We love to make like,
experimental films together.
1086
,035 --> 00:47:52,424
So they love, they love that whole
process of creating stuff for the camera.
1087
,904 --> 00:47:53,955
Marc Preston: Um, very cool.
1088
,015 --> 00:47:57,915
You know, luckily my kids haven't tired
of me yet either, so that makes me happy.
1089
,275 --> 00:47:59,955
Um, now the last question I got for you.
1090
,955 --> 00:48:03,674
If you were to jump into, uh, that
DeLorean, uh, and travel back in
1091
,674 --> 00:48:06,375
time, you're, you're gonna go back
and have a few minutes with you at
1092
,375 --> 00:48:10,335
16 years old and you got a piece of
advice to take that moment, make it
1093
,335 --> 00:48:13,545
a little bit better for yourself or
put yourself on a different track.
1094
,665 --> 00:48:13,754
Uh.
1095
,700 --> 00:48:17,730
What would that, what would that
piece of advice be to 16-year-old you?
1096
,260 --> 00:48:24,270
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine: Um, I had a
similar question from, from that I just
1097
,270 --> 00:48:25,830
tried to, that I just answered to that.
1098
,890 --> 00:48:27,690
I'll try to rehash it here.
1099
,690 --> 00:48:35,040
But, uh, to think of your life as an
obstacle course, uh, and that sometimes
1100
,040 --> 00:48:36,390
you'll be your greatest obstacle.
1101
,130 --> 00:48:38,160
Okay.
1102
,390 --> 00:48:40,110
Um, yeah.
1103
,110 --> 00:48:41,370
That nothing's gonna be handed to you.
1104
,165 --> 00:48:44,655
Uh, don't expect things to be
handed to you or the path to be
1105
,655 --> 00:48:48,795
easy, but if you think of this as
like the, the greatest obstacle
1106
,795 --> 00:48:50,265
course you're about to endure and.
1107
,330 --> 00:48:53,010
Start it.
1108
,010 --> 00:48:54,720
It'll make it all the
more fun and enjoyable.
1109
,320 --> 00:48:55,980
Marc Preston: I like that.
1110
,980 --> 00:48:56,400
I like that.
1111
,400 --> 00:48:56,610
Yeah.
1112
,610 --> 00:48:57,240
It's funny.
1113
,300 --> 00:49:00,420
We do tend to get in, get in our
way or we bring people into our
1114
,420 --> 00:49:02,970
life that try to get in our way too.
1115
,465 --> 00:49:07,171
Um, and Tara, I I, I so appreciate the
opportunity to sit down with you, you,
1116
,230 --> 00:49:10,350
you busy clearly with all the wonderful
projects you got coming out, so I
1117
,350 --> 00:49:11,910
appreciate you sharing some time with me.
1118
,910 --> 00:49:14,550
But, uh, I wish you nothing but
the best of luck, my friend.
1119
,550 --> 00:49:17,130
Hopefully you have a chance
to catch up down the line and,
1120
,130 --> 00:49:18,450
uh, I certainly appreciate it.
1121
,689 --> 00:49:19,529
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine:
Thanks for having me.
1122
,779 --> 00:49:22,049
Marc Preston: Okay.
1123
,049 --> 00:49:22,620
There you go.
1124
,620 --> 00:49:27,990
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, my
very first Ugandan guest.
1125
,080 --> 00:49:29,189
Uh, what a pleasure.
1126
,279 --> 00:49:31,230
Enjoyed sitting down
and chatting with him.
1127
,500 --> 00:49:32,580
A busy, busy guy.
1128
,580 --> 00:49:33,359
We talked about it.
1129
,390 --> 00:49:37,080
Uh, Dexter Resurrection coming
out in just a few weeks, uh,
1130
,109 --> 00:49:38,939
though right now the new show.
1131
,970 --> 00:49:43,439
Called Smoke is on Apple TV
as we speak, so check it out.
1132
,439 --> 00:49:46,859
I, I got one episode in so far,
my son and I were watching it the
1133
,859 --> 00:49:48,600
other day, so go check it out.
1134
,600 --> 00:49:49,620
It is good stuff.
1135
,799 --> 00:49:50,669
His character.
1136
,045 --> 00:49:52,215
It'll surprise you.
1137
,335 --> 00:49:53,625
I don't wanna give anything away though.
1138
,625 --> 00:49:54,765
I don't like spoilers.
1139
,915 --> 00:49:55,575
Uh, do me a favor.
1140
,575 --> 00:50:00,134
If you would always request a little,
uh, small favor, pick up the podcast app.
1141
,134 --> 00:50:01,605
Make sure to follow the show.
1142
,634 --> 00:50:03,435
New episode comes out, boom.
1143
,435 --> 00:50:04,575
You get a notification.
1144
,935 --> 00:50:08,174
Also, uh, you can leave a
review and some stars, which
1145
,235 --> 00:50:09,855
helps people to find the show.
1146
,154 --> 00:50:14,985
Also, story and craft pod.com,
the website, everything you could
1147
,985 --> 00:50:16,485
possibly wanna know about the show.
1148
,485 --> 00:50:17,745
It is all right there.
1149
,960 --> 00:50:19,550
Okay, I'm gonna jump on out of here.
1150
,580 --> 00:50:20,270
Uh, do me a favor.
1151
,270 --> 00:50:23,570
Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend
if you celebrate, if you were in
1152
,570 --> 00:50:25,700
the US and, uh, have a safe weekend.
1153
,700 --> 00:50:27,260
Be careful with those fireworks.
1154
,500 --> 00:50:30,800
And as always, thank you so much
for making what I got going on here.
1155
,800 --> 00:50:33,770
Part of whatever you've got
going on means a lot to me.
1156
,040 --> 00:50:36,140
Alright, thanks again for being here.
1157
,140 --> 00:50:40,220
We will see you next week right
here on Story and Craft.
1158
,520 --> 00:50:41,060
Announcer: That's it.
1159
,100 --> 00:50:45,750
For this episode of Story and Craft, join
Marc next week for more conversation.
1160
,960 --> 00:50:50,160
Right here on Story and Craft
Story and Craft is a presentation
1161
,190 --> 00:50:51,630
of Marc Preston Production's.
1162
,690 --> 00:50:56,940
LLC Executive Producer is Marc
Preston, associate producer.
1163
,020 --> 00:51:02,030
Is Zachary Holden, please rate and
review story and craft on Apple Podcasts.
1164
,090 --> 00:51:06,290
Don't forget to subscribe to the
show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
1165
,410 --> 00:51:07,880
or your favorite podcast app.
1166
,240 --> 00:51:11,180
You can subscribe to show
updates, and stay in the know.
1167
,330 --> 00:51:15,470
Just head to story and craft pod.com
and sign up for the newsletter.
1168
,040 --> 00:51:16,910
I'm Emma Dylan.
1169
,210 --> 00:51:17,985
See you next time.
1170
,350 --> 00:51:20,750
And remember, keep telling your story.
