Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine Recalls Intense Physical Transformation for “Smoke”: 'Ended Up Losing 40 Pounds' (Exclusive)
- - - Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine Recalls Intense Physical Transformation for “Smoke”: 'Ended Up Losing 40 Pounds' (Exclusive)
Raven BrunnerJuly 12, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Steve Eichner/Shutterstock; Robert Falconer/Apple TV+
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine; 'Smoke'
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine underwent an intense transformation for his latest role in the Apple TV+ series Smoke
"He is the loneliest man on the planet," the actor says of his character Freddy
The show stars Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett as officials pursuing two serial arsonists
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine underwent an intense physical transformation for his latest role.
The actor opened up about how he approached his troubled character in the Apple TV+ series Smoke while exclusively speaking to PEOPLE at the show's Tribeca Festival premiere.
Created by Dennis Lehane, the show stars Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett as officials pursuing two serial arsonists.
Mwine portrays one of the firestarters: fry cook Freddy Fasano. The reserved worker quickly unravels as he goes for a promotion at his longtime place of employment.
"He is the loneliest man on the planet, so he holds a special place in my heart because of that,” the actor says of his character.
Robert Falconer/Apple TV+
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine in 'Smoke'
Mwine continues to say that his physical transformation was the biggest challenge he faced while getting into character.
"He's not in a healthy place, and so I tried to get as unhealthy looking as possible and ended up losing 40 pounds from the beginning of the shoot to the end of the shoot," he says.
Mwine recalls doing "a lot of icing and taking long walks."
"As soon as we wrapped, I put on 15 pounds in about a week," he adds.
Through his role, Mwine found a surprise friendship with Lehane, which he described as "a godsend, really."
"He's invited me to his home," he says of the showrunner. "We've been out to dinner together. Our kids go to the same school."
Smoke also stars Rafe Spall, Anna Chlumsky, Greg Kinnear and John Leguizamo.
Prior to the series, Mwine appeared in Heroes, The Chi and The Lincoln Lawyer. The actor is also set to star in the upcoming sequel series Dexter: Resurrection. He premiered his documentary, Memories of Love Returned, about Ugandan photographer Kibaate Aloysius Ssalongo last year.
John Lamparski/Getty
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine attends the "Smoke" premiere during the 2025 Tribeca Festival on June 12, 2025 in New York City.
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During a panel at the premiere, moderated by PEOPLE’s Breanne Heldman, Smollett also opened up about transforming into her character Detective Michelle Calderon.
To get into the head of the former Marine, the actress recalled speaking to some experts and a therapist. She also worked with a trainer who had her "put on 15 to 20 pounds of muscle."
"I was eating five meals a day and doing all that stuff," Smollett said.
New episodes of Smoke premiere Fridays on Apple TV+ through Aug. 15.
on People
Source: AOL Entertainment
