Where have you been? [He mostly disappeared from TV screens when The Hostel ended]

I embarked on other things; I used to have a day job at that time, but I also started a film company which I run and my family. I can say we are doing well; films like Rain came through the company and we have won several awards locally and internationally [Rain was also nominated for an AMVCA this year, although it did not win.]

Talking about family; your wife has also kept a low profile since The Hostel! [His wife Eleanor Nabwiso is also an actress. She also starred in The Hostel.]

[Laughs] No, she is around and we are still acting together, but yes she has been scarce because we have been working on our projects. But you will see us on the screen soon.

How do you balance that? Acting together, married to each other…isn’t it boring?

It is interesting that after The Hostel we didn’t want to be idle; so, we created something to do but I think I have enough time [to be] a responsible husband. When we are together, we talk all the time and since we are passionate about it, we are not bored.

So, Mathew, when you are not acting, what are you doing?

I’m acting, acting, acting. I used to have a fulltime job as the sales manager of an ICT company but I resigned because it used to take my time. I wanted to be myself and with my family.

OK! A family man…

Yeah. Right now I have a lot of time for my family. The children go to school but over the weekend, I try to be with them as much as I can. I still have a young family.

At home it’s family and nothing else but of course sometimes we brainstorm about a project. Acting is something this family is passionate about.

Tell me about your proposal; what was her reaction?

[With a look that suggests he was caught off guard:] She was surprised, although we had been dating for some time, I had not shown signs of marriage [so] she was shocked. The rest is a story of another day.

Shocked? Why?

She knew I knew her weaknesses; so, she thought maybe she wasn’t the kind of woman I wanted to settle with.

Weaknesses…?

For instance, she was not a good cook at that time, but I taught her. I believe in moving towards achieving certain things; and so, I had to work on it.

And now that she can cook, what is your favourite dish?

Chicken and matoke. By the way, I can cook that, only that nowadays my wife is there; she does the cooking.

So, what do you do to help your sweetheart?

Washing dishes.

Nice! And when did you last take her out?

[Thinks] I’m taking her out today! It is Quick Talk who has interfered with my outing.

Oh sorry!

We [go out] all the time. The dinners are always our thing; mark you, we don’t plan for them.

Romantic you! Now, how many pairs of shoes do you have?

Naye gwe. Really? Anyway, I don’t know, but I think 10. But T-shirts and jeans take the biggest space in my closet. [Well, Nabwiso is one of those people that would still look good in rags, anyway.]

Who is your role model?

Locally I have two role models; John Paul Kirimuddu, who used to do theatre production and Matt Bish [the producer/director behind A Good Catholic Girl]. He used to be a director of The Hostel. Internationally, I look at people like Will Smith, Robert De Niro and John Travolta.

You have acted in many movies; which one stands out?

All are good, but A Good Catholic Girl stood out.

Which one is your drink of choice?

Whiskies, especially Johnnie Walker.

Background

  • Mathew Nabwiso was born to former parliamentarian Frank Nabwiso and Mama Christine Nabwiso of Jinja.
  • He is the seventh child [this, after counting on his fingers, as if not sure] in a family of 11 children.
  • He attended Mwiri and Kamuli Boys primary schools. He later joined Busoga College, Mwiri for his O-level and he did his A-level at Namasagali College, in Kamuli.
  • Nabwiso holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Cyprus Institute of Marketing.
  • He is a father of three – two boys and a girl.

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