With an acting career that spans back to the 90s as a child star, Tahj Mowry has had success even some of the most known actors would envy. Be assured, he is nowhere close to stopping any time soon.
You are now a cast member of the new CBS Comedy, How We Roll. Tell us about the character you portray.
I play the character called Lou. He works at the bowling alley that Tom Smallwood trains at. Tom Smallwood is based off a real person who was fired from his factory job and decided to take up bowling as a pro. I play his best friend who is always there for him and moonlights as his manager. He does everything the bowling alley needs. He cooks, he’s a waiter… He does it all. He’s hilarious and so fun to play. There’s never a dull moment with Lou. I definitely have a lot of fun playing him.
In the forthcoming Netflix movie Me Time, you co-star with Mark Wahlberg, Regina Hall, and Kevin Hart. How was it working alongside so many powerhouses?
It’s a blessing! I feel so blessed, first and foremost, to do something I love and to do it as a job. To top it all off, I am able to do it with heavy hitters like the people you just named, it’s such a blessing. The first day on set, I’m not going to lie… I was like Oh my God. There’s Mark, There’s Kevin, and There’s Regina! They are so amazing, down-to-earth, and real people. There’s nothing better than working with people you admire and look up to within the comedy world and when you get the opportunity to work with them, they’re amazing. They’re so giving and so talented. That movie is so hilarious, people are going to love it.
Our director, John Hamburg, allowed us to play, adlib, and improv. You never know what Kevin Hart, Mark Walberg, or Regina Hall are going to say at any given time, so you have to stay on your toes. It was a comedy masterclass for me. It was so fun! I can’t wait to see the movie because I don’t even know what takes they’re going to use because each take we did was different from the previous one. We were adding things and talking about different things each time. I don’t think I laughed that much on a set ever! It was definitely a fun time and again, I’m just so honored to be part of such a hilarious movie with so many iconic comedians. To have scenes alongside Kevin Hart, just me and him, it was a dream come true. He’s amazing, as is Mark, and as is Regina. I cannot wait for people to see it.
My character’s name is Kadir, he sort of befriends Kevin at this weekend getaway party that Mark Walberg’s character throws. It’s kind of anything that could go bad, kind of happens to Kevin, but in the process, he learns how to have “me-time”. My character and his become buddies throughout the film.
I can’t wait to see it. Now, having achieved stardom at an early age and growing up in the public eye and with equally famous siblings, what was the biggest obstacle you faced?
I am blessed to say that the biggest obstacle—I was fortunate enough to jump over that obstacle—was learning how separate the fame of it all from real life. I think that not being able to separate the two, leads people to have issues and problems in their life. Sometimes, people combine their work-life with their normal life. I mean this is a job that comes with a lot of glitz and glamour, but I think it is important to separate the two. That’s what my parents instilled in all of us at a very young age. I am so thankful and bless to have had parents like them.
Also, when I was in high school, I took a break from acting and I think that it was beneficial for me to sort of step back away, go to school, and play sports. I went to prom. I think doing that kind of stuff helps keep you grounded in real life, and I came back when I missed it.
You also have to make sure that you have the right people around you. I have had my group of best friends for years, and years, and years. They keep me grounded, my family keeps me grounded, and my faith keeps me grounded. I am blessed because I was able to bypass a lot of those issues and hard moments that can happen to an actor, especially child actors. It is really a testament to my parents for instilling those core values at a young age.
I read you were quite a standout when you played football in high school and college.
Yeah, it was one of the things I did during my break from acting. I fell in love with football in high school and I got a scholarship for college where I played for a year before returning to acting. I truly believe that the entertainment business and acting are my callings. I believe it is one of the reasons that I’m on this earth.
I had time to be a regular kid who went to public school. All those things were monumental in keeping me grounded and keeping me humble. But I’m not going to lie (laughing), I was kind of nice with it when it came to football. I don’t know if I can do it like I used to, but in my heyday, I was a playmaker (laughing).
I believe it! Now when comes to considering a role, what are the things that matter most to you?
I think, first of all, it’s whether or not I have a connection to the character. I need to feel that I can bring something to it that no one else can. I have to feel for the character in a certain way. The script has to be funny or make me emotional when it’s supposed to. For comedy, is the script making me laugh out loud? If I can see myself in the character I am being offered the opportunity to portray, then I know that it’s a good one for me. Also, what can the character bring to viewers? What can they get out of it? I have been so blessed to do these shows that have longevity. That’s something that I look at as well. Do I see it having longevity? Do I see it as a character that can stand the test of time? Those are all things I look at when I consider a role.
Also, will it challenge me? I don’t like being bored or taking anything for granted. If a role scares me a little bit or challenges me, it may be good for me to do. I did a movie called Welcome Matt which came out last year, which was about mental health. It was very emotional. It was a movie where I was on screen 80% of the time alone. That was kind of frightening, but I was like I’m going to do it because I feel like I bring what someone else may not be able to bring to the role. I believed in that character.
You have played a long list of characters going back to the early 90s, what are some of your favorites?
Oh wow! They all have a special place in my heart, that’s why I chose those roles. I had to feel a certain way about the characters. In my younger days, everybody loved Teddy from Full House. Everybody loves TJ Henderson from Smart Guy. I think the fans would get mad at me if I didn’t say TJ Henderson (laughing). Once I got older, I would say Tucker from Baby Daddy. We did Baby Daddy for six seasons and that was such a fun character to play. They all have a special place in my heart, even the animated ones.
Be’n Original
