Ahead of the premiere of Apple TV+’s newest psychological thriller, Smoke, I had the pleasure of sitting down with stars Jurnee Smollett, Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, and creator and executive producer Dennis Lehane for an exclusive junket conversation.
Smoke explores the blurred lines between justice and destruction. It’s a slow burn that pulls you in with mystery and holds your attention with the haunting humanity of its characters.
Jurnee Smollett, who plays a fierce and emotionally layered fire investigator, shared that what drew her to the role was “being a fan of Dennis, the opportunity to dive into someone who struggles to a degree with being attracted to the very thing that’s going to destroy her.”
Rafe Spall opened up about playing a character who balances charm and danger. “It’s in the writing. You can only do what’s on the page. Dennis, the show’s creator, showrunner, and genius behind it, was very clear on who he wanted this person to be… He described him pretty well when we first had a Zoom about him, when he wanted to speak to me about the possibility of playing the part. So I’m really just serving his vision.”
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine reflected on the emotional weight of his role. “The type of life he’s led, I gave up thinking I could fathom what he’s been through. So all I was left with was my imagination. Dennis gave me creative license to just play.”
I also had the chance to speak with Dennis Lehane, the acclaimed writer behind Mystic River and creator of Black Bird, who developed Smoke, adapting it from the hit podcast Firebug. When asked what drew him to a story rooted in moral ambiguity, he explained, “That’s my thing. I don’t believe in blacks and whites. I don’t believe in good and evil. I believe in sort of like messed-up people and moral greys. I think that’s where most people truly live.”
Inspired by true events, Smoke follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists. Starring Taron Egerton as fire investigator Dave Gudsen and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective Michelle Calderone, the ensemble cast also includes: Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award and Emmy nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy winner John Leguizamo.
Smoke premieres globally on Friday, June 27, 2025, with the first two episodes dropping that day, followed by new episodes every week.
Related: ‘The Savant’: Inside Apple TV+’s Shelved Thriller
