Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Episode: Noma Dumezweni — On Subverting Expectations as Hermione Granger, and Acting Opposite Alexander Skarsgård
Release Date: September 23, 2025
Location: Sook, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Guest: Noma Dumezweni
Host: Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Overview
This episode features a candid, compassionate, and often hilarious dinner conversation between Jesse Tyler Ferguson and acclaimed actress Noma Dumezweni. Over Thai food in Brooklyn, they explore Noma’s remarkable journey—from her upbringing as the child of refugees, to landing the groundbreaking role of Hermione Granger on stage, to starring opposite Alexander Skarsgård in "Murderbot." The dialogue centers on themes of identity, resilience, artistic craft, family, and what it means to navigate Hollywood while defying preconceptions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Family, Parenting, and Big Life Moves
- Noma discusses her move from London to New York for "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," at her then-11-year-old daughter's request. This decision ended up shaping both their lives for the better.
- “She gave me the luck for the career I’ve had in this moment. Because I think with your kids... you follow them. Then everything happens.” (03:19, Noma)
- Jesse connects this to his own experience, now considering his children’s needs in career decisions.
- “It seems like it’s always the right choice, obviously to put them first. But, like... with my gut, like, I’m like, oh, this one doesn’t feel right or that one does feel right.” (04:27, Jesse)
2. Noma’s Refugee Childhood and Perspective on Upheaval
- Noma reflects on her background as a child refugee from apartheid South Africa, and how relocating shaped her adaptability and comfort with change.
- “I didn’t know that that was what was happening, because it’s the parents’ story... I have got friends who go—the idea of me being—I’m always fascinated when someone has stayed in the same house for, like, 20 years. I don’t understand that, but I’m in awe of it.” (07:35, Noma)
- She describes her mother’s sacrifices and her own journey finding storytelling and theater as a safe space.
3. The Power of Storytelling and Finding Theatre
- Youth theater at 13 was “saving grace” for Noma, offering belonging and expression.
- “Thank God for youth theatre. You find your tribe, you find your tribe.” (10:54, Noma)
- Both recount feeling like old souls who found their people in the arts.
- Noma notes the healing legacy of her mother, assimilation, and the tension between blending in and standing out as an artist.
4. Embracing Aging & Shifting Life Chapters
- Both discuss how aging brings clarity and new opportunities.
- “I love getting older. Because the vantage point now makes sense of my life.” (09:28, Noma)
- “50 is complicated because that chapter of my life is done... but exciting in a way that, you know, 40 was.” (09:03, Jesse)
5. Big Breaks: “A Raisin in the Sun” & Olivier Award
- Jesse is surprised Noma had never read the play before performing.
- “That was even considered—oh, this is the play that people talk about, ‘Raisin in the Sun.’ I’d never read.” (17:08, Noma)
- Noma explores embodying Ruth Younger, connecting deeply to the role despite cultural differences.
- “It’s a fucking human story.” (17:43, Noma)
6. Theater Mishaps: Uma Thurman and the Press Release
- Humorous interlude: Jesse nearly appears as the headline star of "Raisin in the Sun" in a PR error.
- “The headline of the press release is Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Uma Thurman. Headline Raisin and—Stop it.” (19:39, Jesse)
- “Can you imagine? That’s the meta production coming out someone’s asshole.” (20:03, Noma)
7. Subverting Expectations as Hermione Granger
- Noma breaks through as an older, Black Hermione in "Cursed Child." She recalls her surprise at being cast, having told herself she was “too old and too dark-skinned.”
- “I’d been called into a series of workshops... and this is the story I told myself. I’m too old and I’m too dark-skinned. I’m gonna go, they’re gonna use a mixed race young girl.” (24:01, Noma)
- She discusses the uproar among fans, the cultural power of film vs. theater, and the importance of diverse representation.
- "The blackness thing, it's literally the cultural difference. And look, I can. In a weird way, the little mermaid’s like, oh, please, we're talking fish.” (23:58, Noma)
- “The optics of me being an older woman, being an older Black woman who’s in her late forties, having this experience, was extraordinary. And I really leaned into that... My archetype is Maghra. My archetype is nurture. I was never gonna be Aphrodite, But I’m here.” (35:05, Noma)
8. Craft and Joy of Acting In Midlife
- Noma expresses gratitude for her late-blooming, spectacular career—her journey from “supporting actor in British theater” to leading roles in high-profile projects.
- “I fucking love being at this age and feeling that it’s all new. And it has been the last eight years.” (34:35, Noma)
- She details the beauty of “tech day” in theater, and the thrill of not knowing what a new TV project will become.
9. Acting with Alexander Skarsgård and “Murderbot”
- Noma relishes being “in awe” of peers like Alexander Skarsgård and Nicole Kidman.
- “Every time I watch Alex work, it’s like watching Nicole Kidman for the first time when I was doing ‘The Undoing’... you go, oh, it’s my line, it’s my line.” (31:36, Noma)
- She explains her journey with the quirky, sci-fi show "Murderbot," the unfamiliar newness of the genre, and the “lovely responsibility” of being present in meaningful projects.
10. Advice for the Next Generation and Dreaming Bigger
- Noma and Jesse reflect on the challenges of adolescence and the value of perseverance and hope.
- “Wherever the pain is, please hold on. I am so in belief that we are here each to serve each other. And you may not know what you’re here for, but it literally could be you’re the person who smiles at somebody one morning and you’ve just changed their trajectory because they were feeling shit about themselves.” (09:28, Noma)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “I know I’m a gay man in a woman’s body. I really do.” (00:16, Noma)
- “Thank God for youth theatre. You find your tribe.” (10:54, Noma)
- “At 50... I feel like I have a lot more life in me.” (09:03, Jesse)
- “It’s a fucking human story.” (17:43, Noma, on ‘Raisin in the Sun’)
- “I’m too old and I’m too dark-skinned. I’m gonna go, they’re gonna use a mixed race young girl.” (24:01, Noma, on Hermione)
- “The optics of me being an older Black woman who’s in her late 40s having this experience was extraordinary. And I really leaned into that.” (35:05, Noma)
- “Don’t take yourself seriously. Take the work seriously. All those clichés are true.” (35:05, Noma)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:01 – Opening greetings, connection over queer identity
- 02:25 – Noma on moving for Harry Potter and parenting in NYC
- 07:35 – Noma reflects on refugee childhood and adaptability
- 10:44 – The power of storytelling and discovering theater
- 17:00 – Noma on "A Raisin in the Sun" and her Olivier Award
- 19:39 – Jesse’s PR mishap story involving Uma Thurman
- 21:40 – Jesse and Noma reminisce about the magic of Harry Potter and theater
- 23:58 – Navigating backlash and representation as Hermione
- 31:36 – Acting with Alexander Skarsgård and “Murderbot”
- 34:35 – Embracing a flourishing career in midlife
- 38:38 – Advice for the next generation, dreaming beyond one’s limits
- 39:03 – Reflections on future chapters and gratitude
Tone & Atmosphere
The episode is warm, irreverent, and deeply human—filled with laughter, mutual admiration, and real vulnerability. Noma’s humor, honesty, and rich storytelling shine throughout, while Jesse’s curiosity and relatability keep the conversation flowing naturally and intimately.
Conclusion
This dinner conversation is equal parts insightful and joyful, offering listeners not just an inside look at Noma Dumezweni’s remarkable career—but also invaluable wisdom about following one’s heart, challenging expectations, healing through art, and daring to dream bigger, regardless of age or circumstance.