Exclusive Interview: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine on Physically and Emotionally Transforming Into Freddy in ‘Smoke’

In Smoke, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine plays Freddy—a man who’s been disregarded by the world for so long, he’s learned to move through it unnoticed. He doesn’t want to be seen. He doesn’t want to be saved. He just wants to disappear. But through Ntare’s quietly devastating, Emmy-worthy performance, Freddy becomes impossible to ignore. It’s a role that’s both physically and emotionally demanding, and Ntare approaches it with restraint, empathy, and remarkable depth. His work is complex, layered, and deeply grounded—one of the most affecting performances of the year.

Inspired by true events, Smoke follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to sit down with Ntare to discuss the physical and emotional toll of stepping into Freddy’s world, the imagination it took to access a character shaped by deep pain, and what it meant to give voice to someone the world has tried to forget.

PC: I’m so excited to chat with you. Your performance in this series is one of the best things I’ve seen all year—there’s so much restraint and nuance. This character feels so lived-in. When you’re playing someone like Freddy, who’s been through the unimaginable and, in many ways, been disregarded by society—just trying to exist and remain unseen—how do you find your way in? And how does that process evolve as the season progresses, especially as he begins to have those moments of outburst?
Ntare: Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m really glad this connected with you. That’s a great question because, as you said, he’s gone through things that are unimaginable. So what’s the entry point for the unimaginable? Your imagination. That became my way in. I talked to Dennis Lehane, the creator of the show, and asked, “How did you even create this character? He’s so extreme—I don’t even know where to begin in order to bring him to life.” And he said, “Use your imagination. That’s what I did.” Sometimes you have to take creative license. That gave me the freedom to explore, rather than feeling burdened by the idea that I’d never truly know what it’s like to live in this character’s shoes. It allowed me to imagine it instead. In that sense, I felt free. We discovered things that shocked and surprised all of us. It only got more complex as the show went on. I don’t know if it was noticeable on screen, but I lost thirty pounds from the first episode to the last. I wanted it to feel like he disappears right before your eyes.

PC: You accomplished that. There’s this really heartbreaking sentiment in the series—that no one is living the life they dreamed of, even if the dream is small. And yet, characters like Brenda and Lee encourage and dare Freddy to dream bigger. Who have been the people in your own life who have shown up for you in a similar way? Did you channel them into those dynamics?
Ntare: Wow. Those are really complex questions. That’s great. Not living the life you dreamed of is a harsh reality to wake up to. You’re always striving for that ideal. I don’t know if I drew from anyone specific to tap into that, but we had just come out of the double strikes, and everybody had been out of work for quite a while. People had to sell their homes. People had to reconsider their careers. We were coming out of a moment where the dreams we’d been holding onto had almost evaporated. Everyone on the Smoke set was so grateful to be working—and to be working on this show in particular. That alone could’ve been the answer to the question you just asked.

To keep up with Ntare, follow him on Instagram. New episodes of Smoke drop every Friday on Apple TV+.

Photo Credit: Apple TV+