Albert Mwangi is a Kenyan born and raised Actor who calls Australia his second home. Grab a tea - or two, because Alberts story is far from silver platter entrance into the industry and he is ‘still reppin’, and worth every word.
Ready?
Albert called the lush hills of Ngong town along the Great Rift Valley within Kajiado County, his home. His parents were always avid movie lovers and would share that love for movies and television shows with Albert and his 5 siblings.
His family eventually moved to Nairobi where he completed school and university (Bachelor of Social Sciences majoring in Economics and in Political Science - casually.. )
Shortly after, had the chance to complete double degree Masters in Marketing and International Business in Brisbane, Australia.
Despite being offered several opportunities to progress as an employee in Marketing, Albert decided to get a casual job in order to make his true passion of acting his career.
Albert graduated the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2020
Currently, Albert is in U.S.A having just wrapped his role on ‘Tom Swift’ and packed up his apartment, ready for the next adventure.
Over a series of chats, we covered some of the things that got him to where he is now and additional pressure placed on actors navigating this industry without a western passport. Also noted how being a self proclaimed ‘Kenyan-born - goofball, who just loves telling stories’ has proven an excellent foundation for an international career.
“Navigating this industry with a passport that isn’t American, Australian or British, is genuinely so hard… Put in the hard yards and you will get your break.” — Albert Mwangi
Albert, What is something you’re glad is becoming more ‘mainstream’ in our industry ?
I’m just glad there’s people who’re taking diversity more seriously. I don’t even like calling it diversity because I think of it as ‘true collaboration that actually reflects the societies of today’. We still have work to do in making sure it’s fair representation across the board but true collaboration is becoming more mainstream.
My story is a perfect example: I’ve ended up playing a Kenyan character in both an Australian and an American project.
I love being transformative in a character’s country of origin, e.g. an American character from the Bronx NYC or a British character from South East London. I’m grateful to see that projects these days embrace accents that a lot of people consider “foreign” and create characters that aren’t all aren’t all stereotypes.
Going right back to ‘Young Albert’ What made him believe there was a career in this for him ?
It was more of an impossible dream for ‘Young Albert’ but his imagination led ‘25 Year Old Albert’ to give it a shot. To picture what kind of career he’d want, and to act on it. So far, so different, but good. ‘Current Age Albert’ thanks ‘Young Albert’ and ‘25 Year Old Albert’ for listening to each other.
Being in the arts isn’t exactly what all parents hope their child will do - how did you break it to your parents?
Ha! So true. I said:
“Look, this is my decision and if shit hits the fan and I end up homeless, that’s on me and I’ll be fine with it and I want you to be fine with it too because there’s nothing else I would rather do in my life than tell stories.”
And they laughed hysterically and flipped me off. I’m kidding, they supported me… eventually.
Can you tell us about moving to Australia to study and how changing fields after graduation came about.
I’m very privileged to have parents who sacrificed to get me to Australia for my Masters in Marketing and International Business. Once I finished studying that and worked, the more and more I didn’t feel fulfilled. I was miserable and knew there just wasn’t a passion for it.
I decided acting was my path and switched to working casually in almost every service industry possible to pay for acting classes in Brisbane.
Unsurprisingly , your hard work paid off and you were accepted to NIDA.
How did you decide to combat creating this space in this environment ?
NIDA was very hard to navigate especially because I came with no drama background. A lot of it was my own self esteem and making myself small when I didn’t need to. I worked my ass off in that building.
Three aspects challenged me and helped me open up more to the training and myself.: hard work, listening to my heads of departments and encouraging teachers always challenged me to go big and stretch myself as far as I could.
Most importantly, really good friends I’d met who would teach me life lessons that somehow tied into acting.
By the time I was in the middle of 2nd year, I let my curiosity guide me and stopped caring what others thought. I’d go back and forth with progress then some form of regression into habit. I had to make it work either way. There was no other way so I just made sure I not only worked hard but smart as well.
I feel finding your voice is a never-ending because you’re always evolving as a human being meaning your art will do the same. Once I accepted that I would constantly be learning , I’ve always been open ever since.
Unlike every other grad, you needed to a job to stay in Australia.
If we can fast forward that first job of ‘Bump ‘ (STAN), and meeting Claudia Karvan - walk us through the reality of this time for you.
Yes, I needed a job to be able to stay in Australia right after NIDA. I just have to shoutout Kirsty McGregor. She’s awesome and she knows why…
I auditioned for Bump, not expecting to get it at all. Nek minnit, I get the role and get the pleasure of meeting Claudia Karvan who’s just annoyingly awesome, cool, creative, chill and just human.
“These women (Claudia Karvan & Kirsty McGregor), kickstarted a career I worked so hard for and I was allowed space to play. I learnt a lot because of these two powerhouses and I’m forever grateful.”
These two women hold a special place in my heart.
Then the U.S.A calls and it’s confirmed - you booked ‘Tom Swift’!
Tell us about coming out of this predicament to this great news.
Tom Swift was a complete surprise. I had auditioned for the main character first, wasn’t right for the character, then 9 months later they sent through the audition for Rowan who was perfect for me. Couldn’t have predicted booking it. It was unbelievable.
And you landed in Atlanta and went straight to a predominantly black set ?!
Working on a predominantly black set was siiiiiiiiiiccckkkkk. It was such a mix of people in the cast and crew of all races expressing our art that it just turned into this harmonious, well oiled machine.
To an outside eye, once you’ve signed you’re set. Reality is, certainty doesn’t always come once you sign that dotted line.
You got one of the calls a lot of people fear.
Tell us about that moment when you heard the show was cancelled and the reality of moving forward.
Getting the call that Tom Swift was cancelled was hard to hear… I’m not going to lie, it sucked donkey balls! I thought I was alright but I wasn’t.
As well as talking to clinical professionals and social networks of support during similar times, the Actors Benevolent Fund provides confidential and compassionate support for Australian actors facing sudden hardship.
What got me through was talking to friends and family about it and realizing life goes on and that it’s something beyond my control. All I can affect is what I control - and all I control, is my craft and my happiness. Once I really embodied the awareness of what I can control, I just went to work. I’ve not yet booked more work (for ‘22), but you just wait and see.
Big tings are coming!
What do you surround yourself with to keep this mindset strong?
I surround myself with people who challenge me, I’m very family oriented so I always keep my family close and my day one friends close.
I like practicing yoga and exercise as much as I can to keep myself grounded
I love to live life and learn new skills whether in acting or not.
Ice cream? …and I’ve weirdly started liking cats.
Maybe I’ll Mike Tyson this shit one day and have a tiger for a pet.
After this turbulent yet joyous ride, how would you sum up Albert Mwangi now?
I’m just a Kenyan storytelling goofball who loves: people, food and coffee , calls Australia his second home and found out he has an inner introvert.
What would be your message to others navigating an international career ?
What I say has probably been said several times before, but it’s just the truth:
BE OPEN TO LEARNING - because you don’t know everything and you never will
WORK HARD - because nothing great comes easy
BE PROFESSIONAL - because it not only goes a long way, but it goes further than you think
Positivity will make all these other things I’ve listed easier and feel more achievable. This all applies with visas as well because navigating this industry with a passport that isn’t American, Australian or British, is genuinely hard so to anyone who is an international, put in the hard yards
” Doing the work, works - you will get your break. “
Famous last words?
Life’s too short not to have fun - so enjoy what you do!
Albert. This interview has been a long time coming, weaving between moves and projects - thank you for sharing with us all my friend.
That’s the wrap on Albert Mwangi folks! Can now clean up that tea and carry on.
Albert Recommends:
Show we should see?
If you’re ever in NYC and get a chance to watch MJ the musical on Broadway, please see it. It’s super worth it.
(- Campaign to bring it down under? )Anthem at the moment?
"The Sibbi Song" by SomeWhatSuperArtist you can’t get enough of?
I'm very keenly following director Ruben Östlund after watching his movie "Triangle of Sadness" which I highly recommend.