The Knockturnal had the opportunity to chat with The Good Fight star Nyambi Nyambi and discuss it’s highly anticipated, and now airing, season four!
Season four of The Good Fight finds Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart navigating a very different landscape. After they lost their biggest client, Chumhum, and their founding partner’s name was tarnished, Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart were forced to accept an offer by a huge multi-national law firm, STR Laurie, to become a small subsidiary. Suddenly, all of their decisions can be second-guessed by the giant firm that is literally on top of them. While STR Laurie initially seemed like benevolent overlords, we find Diane Lockhart and her colleagues chafing at their loss of independence while simultaneously investigating the emergence of a mysterious “Memo 618.”
The cast of The Good Fight includes Christine Baranski, Cush Jumbo, Audra McDonald, Sarah Steele, Michael Boatman, Nyambi Nyambi, Zach Grenier, John Larroquette, and Delroy Lindo. Hugh Dancy also joined season four in a recurring role.
The Knockturnal: What has the experience been like for you during the current pandemic?
Nyambi Nyambi: It’s a very difficult time in terms of thinking about my loved ones, my community, and people beyond in terms of just the unknown. That unknown, of course, leads to anxiety. It’s something that I’ve been feeling when it comes to my conversations with friends and whenever I bring up anxiety, it’s something that everyone has been having to deal with it. It’s been a rough time, I’ve been doing everything I can to find peace and sort of take advantage of the moment and to take care of things I may not have before. I actually feel way more connected to friends that I haven’t talked to in about 20 years. It’s been an opportunity for self-reflection and growth. I’m writing every day, growing every day, reading, watching films, and trying to improve myself as an artist. I’m trying to find someone new to talk to, to reach out and to talk to every day. Certainly an unfortunate time but a time I’m trying to take to improve upon me.
The Knockturnal: I noticed on your social media platforms you’ve been trying to watch a movie a day, what has that been like?
Nyambi Nyambi: It’s been great! You know, I’ve been watching a movie a day and just finding something that gets my mind off of things. I watched, What About Bob? the other day which is just a feel-good movie – which is great. Music is another way to get my mind off of things. I go back and actually binge watch TV shows. I’ve been watching The Good Fight getting myself geared up for the new season, which I’m excited for. Just finding those ways to get to escape – mentally and imaginatively has been great.
The Knockturnal: What is your favorite movie or TV show that you’ve seen recently?
Nyambi Nyambi: Amazing Grace has been my favorite movie because that’s been something that the album itself was an album that I listened to on repeat since Aretha Franklin’s voice is just incredible. I watched that actually last night and to see the actual live version of that album, just gave me all the feel-goods. As far as TV, The Good Fight is supreme number one of course. But, I’ve binged watched 5 seasons up to episode 8 of Better Call Saul which is awesome because I’m a huge fan of Breaking Bad. That’s the one that I’ve been binge-watching through.
The Knockturnal: As a soon to be NYU alum, I’m curious what your experience was like at NYU?
Nyambi Nyambi: NYU Grad Acting was an incredible experience. What I like to say what NYU Grad did for me, was that it made me more me than I could ever imagine. I went in thinking “This is what I want, this is who I think I am”, and I left the program being like, “This is definitely what I want, this is definitely who I am, this is definitely what I can do”. That was an awesome three years of my life. We just all, all 15 of us, got on a Zoom call and reconnected like Brothers and Sisters who haven’t spoken in a while – it was great.
The Knockturnal: How would you say that the fourth season compares to the previous ones?
Nyambi Nyambi: You know it’s great, as far as the King’s go [Robert King and Michelle King] when it comes to creating the show – I feel like each one has their own identity. It feels in the best way possible, very experimental. In the last season, we worked with Shakespearean tropes, actually, the entire show is very Shakespearean in of itself. But, in terms of; breaking the fourth fall, and having inner monologues out to the audience – it’s very theatrical and Shakespearean. We have animated shorts that would explain for example, what an NDA is. The show has been great fun in doing stuff that is outside the box and new. This season, right off the bat with the first episode we are dealing with this, “What if?” scenario. When you change one major thing, how does that change the scope of our lives and the things that are important to us? This season will be back to conspiracies and secrets and how to navigate when the opposition is doing everything they can to stop you. It’s a fun fun fun season, I’m excited to see it with everybody.
The Knockturnal: The show always intertwines current topics into the storyline – what’s been your favorite topic that the show has covered?
Nyambi Nyambi: The Immigration episode from the previous season was great. That is an episode that I had a major play in because they were going to deport my character. That episode was fun. This season, the third episode is one of my favorites, I don’t know how much I can say about it, but this is one of my favorites in terms of how we dealt with it. Overall, I would say the Immigration episode was my favorite.
The Knockturnal: You had such a crucial role in that episode! What was it like filming that?
Nyambi Nyambi: It was a lot of fun because they asked me, how much artwork do you have? – because they knew I draw. I said “Well what I draw I give away”, and they said, “Well we need about 20-30 drawings, but don’t worry we can actually have someone else do it if you want”. I was like “No – I want to do it!”. So I spent the time trying to draw as much as I could during that time. It was a lot of pressure because I felt like there was a deadline and I was trying to create this comic book pages. That’s when I realized I’m not a comic book artist because these guys are drawing comic book pages a day, and I’m trying to draw just one in a week, which gave me mad respect to the comic book artists out there! It was still fun to get my artwork out there and to have my artwork be in the episode and be featured as they are trying to testify why my character would need a “Genius Grant”. Somewhere out there it’s been filmed that my work deserves a “Genius Grant” so that was fun.
The Knockturnal: How would you best describe your character?
Nyambi Nyambi: I would best describe my character as one that upholds the status quo in terms of the moral compass of the firm. Whenever we start to deviate, I challenge it. I’m someone who no matter what you need, I’ll do anything and everything to do what you need because if you are part of this firm you’re family, and I protect family.
The Knockturnal: How do you think Jay would react to the current pandemic?
Nyambi Nyambi: Jay would take every single precaution. I mean I think he would have been the head of this! He would have been one of the first people enforcing social distancing and had everyone in protective gear in terms of a mask and gloves – just taking every necessary precaution. He would have made sure that everyone at the firm does what they need to take care of themselves. In terms of people who aren’t able to make it out to get supplies, I think Jay would have been the one to get those supplies and bring it back to people’s homes. Jay is an “on top of it guy” and at the same time would offer to take care of others.
The Knockturnal: In relation to the other characters – do you think Jay would have been the most prepared?
Nyambi Nyambi: Yeah, I do!
The Knockturnal: The show has had a phenomenal record of guest stars, ranging from Judith Light to Cheryl Hines. Who has been the most memorable to work with?
Nyambi Nyambi: To work with, of course would be Louis Gossett Jr. That is just a legend, a legend through and through. To be able to work with and do a scene was amazing, it was great – so I would say that was number one for me. As far as guest stars who I got to meet but may not have done a scene with; of course Judith Light was great, Rob Reiner is another one – getting a chance to tell him how much I love This is Spinal Tap was just a dream come true, let alone The Princess Bride and countless other movies that he has done. It’s a blessing being on the set and being able to work with so many great actors. The one actor I wish I could have met but didn’t get a chance to was Michael J. Fox. But to know that he was on set and that I’m in an episode with him is close enough. It’s an awesome show to be a part of. It’s an awesome show to watch, it’s an awesome show to talk about because of where we go with it. It’s a “water cooler show”. I don’t know if you know what that means but it’s when you see something that happened on the show and you’re like, “Oh my god I can’t believe they did that”. Then, you show up to work and you’re by the water cooler, and that’s where everybody goes gets their water, and you’re like, “Hey, did you see what happened on The Good Fight?” – that’s the water cooler show. Our show is full of those moments and I think people are going to love this new season and where it takes people.
The Knockturnal: This is probably the best time for people who haven’t had the chance to watch the show, to start. In three words can you summarize why people should watch the show?
Nyambi Nyambi: Great, Actors, Storytelling.
The Knockturnal: You’ve been very vocal in the past about the importance of keeping faith. What advice do you have for people in regards to keeping faith during this time?
Nyambi Nyambi: One of the things that helped me a lot during one of my lower moments was the saying, “This is but a season in my life, it’s not my life. And as the seasons change, so too will this.” That’s what keeps my faith strong, is knowing that this too will pass. I do everything I can to protect myself and to protect others. I’m staying home, providing for my family from afar, doing what I can and reaching out to friends through Zoom, Facetime, Blue Jeans or whatever – and staying connected to people in those ways. Doing everything and anything I can to use this opportunity to improve myself in all aspects; mentally, spiritually, physically, imaginatively and making sure that I stay connected to others. Knowing that this is but a season in my life, it is not my life and as the seasons change so too will this.
Fans can now catch up and binge the first three seasons of THE GOOD FIGHT for free, along with all other CBS All Access original series, as well as CBS Television Network, hits like EVIL from Robert and Michelle King, on CBS All Access by using the promo code “ALL” for a free month of CBS All Access through Thursday, April 23. Offer can be activated at https://www.cbs.com/all-access.
