It’s Babs Olusanmokun’s YEAR!

For the actor Babs Olusanmokun, the year 2024 is the year! He is keeping himself busy and blessed on our screens by appearing in a variety of projects from television series and feature films. For more than twenty years, he has been working diligently and dedicating himself to this profession, and now he is reaping the rewards of his perseverance. He took the time out of his busy schedule to chat with me regarding his recent projects and current ones in the works.

Cox: With roles in The Book of Clarence, Dune 2, and the upcoming third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as Dr. M’Benga, Babs, you have a very exciting year ahead of you. I’d love to know more about you as an actor, your motivations, and how you got started before we get into these projects.

Olusanmokun: Thank you. It’s a good start to the year. It’s wonderful seeing things come to fruition. I started acting in high school. Some friends in my class were going on a trip – for a drama competition. I decided I’d go too and convinced the teacher organizing the trip to take me on. Ended up doing a scene from Of Mice and Men and from there kept performing in school until I graduated.

I was of course hooked. It explained my childhood fascination for movies. From repeated viewings of “Star Wars” to watching “Glory” alone in the middle of the night at 15. To Spike Lee’s magnetic films, “Do The Right Thing,” and “Mo Better Blues.”

I moved to New York at 18 and studied with various teachers on and off for countless years. Sometimes I had the money to pay for classes, sometimes I didn’t. I eventually started getting on stage. I started with a production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN at the Paul Robeson Theatre in Fort Greene, Brooklyn playing Asagai. I was paid with a weekly metrocard. Hahahaha.

I eventually did a play called PONIES with Michael Imperioli at Studio Dante which was a theatre Michael and his wife Victoria ran at the time on the west side. From there I got my first agent and started booking some New York TV shows.

Cox: Being an actor requires patience; it’s not for people who want success right away. What, in your opinion, helped you to persevere and never give up during your journey?

Olusanmokun: I’d agree on being patient. And in terms of persevering, I’d say my love for the work and truly challenging myself to make it professionally is what kept me on the journey. I would get sidetracked here and there but I always found my way back. Honestly, I was simply not interested in any other vision of my future.

Cox: Which project or role do you think was your breakthrough performance?

Olusanmokun: I’d say playing Omoro Kinte in the “Roots” remake is the one at this point in time. Simply because I’ve been told by casting directors that it put me on a certain kind of list.

Cox: Tell me about your character and The Book of Clarence.

Olusanmokun: “The Book of Clarence” is a cool biblical epic. It follows Clarence (Lakieth Stanfield) as he tries to avoid getting killed by the local gangster he owes money. The film is Jeymes Samuel’s take on films like “Greatest Story Ever Told” and “Ten Commandments.” I play the role of Asher The Torturer. Asher is a hard man. A bit funny too. A former gladiator- now an owner of men that he trains. He is the titular character’s (Clarence) first port of call when Clarence decides he needs to change his life.

Since the film is a comedy-drama, I’m sure that it will make people laugh, but I’d still like to hear what you think is the funniest portion of it. I think the funniest part for me is when the image/picture of the burglar is shown in the movie. I think it will resonate with the community.

Cox: This year sees the release of Dune 2, but first, tell me about your experience being cast as Jamis in this cult classic film.

Olusanmokun: I was about to head out for a self-tape session in Brooklyn when I got a call from my rep. We have an offer for you. It’s “Dune.” My response. Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune”??? I love that guy! I love that guy! Found myself in front of Denis in Budapest and he’s just so welcoming. So warm. Respectful. He said he loved my reel. Told me I should be doing bigger roles. It was a brilliant vote of confidence. A brilliant thing to hear from a director that was on my list. It got better when he added more scenes for me in the film. He would email me directly with dialogue he’d just written and ask if I was willing to come back and shoot it. It was a blessing. Denis Villeneuve does everything so beautifully.

Cox: What would you say about Jamis? Do you and both of you share any similar character traits?

Olusanmokun: Jamis is a man that loved his people. He was of his culture and that’s what he gave his life protecting. At least in his mind. He was just a bit unreasonable. Me, I’m a lot less temperamental. Hahahaha.

Cox: So, what information regarding what happens in Dune 2 may you share with me?

Olusanmokun: Jamis is a man that loved his people. He was of his culture and that’s what he gave his life protecting. At least in his mind. He was just a bit unreasonable. Me, I’m a lot less temperamental. Hahahaha.

Cox: I love anything Star Trek because I’m a Trekkie. Pop culture is the series’ foundation, and it is well-known to all age groups. What does it mean for you as an actor to play a major role in a television series like this one?

Olusanmokun: I wouldn’t say pop culture is Star Trek’s foundation. I would say because of Star Trek’s immensely progressive ethos from the beginning of the original series, it’s incredible legacy in dark times, its reach because of that legacy, has the series embedded in pop culture. It is a show loved all over the world. It’s just brilliant booking “Strange New Worlds” after so many years of grinding. It means a lot. For it to be a show of such legacy and reach, is just truly special. And to book it during the pandemic was just wild.

Cox: Doctor M’Benga is an absolute badass. He can fight in addition to healing others, and we have seen his past story. We know why he is a certain way. When filming, how do you put yourself in Dr. M’Benga’s shoes?

Olusanmokun: Doctor M’Benga is constantly going through so much. The layers within him are slowly being exposed. I use a lot of music for the doctor. Pieces that put me in a certain kind of place.

Cox: What aspect of the Star Trek universe do you find most appealing?

Olusanmokun: The great history it has. It’s cultural significance. I mean Martin Luther King Jr reportedly told Nichelle Nichols not to leave the show because of how much it meant to people. It’s a privilege to work in this business but when you can do it with something of cultural value, it’s priceless.

Cox: What can we anticipate from the crew and Dr. M’Benga in season three? (You can share that.)

Olusanmokun: We’re now shooting Season 3 and it’s going to be more adventures and genre shifting all season. Chaos and questions to challenge you.

Cover and Editorial Credit
Photographer @broganmcnab
Stylist: @ashleygalang
Grooming: @byianrussell & @cadreartists