Uncorked is Netflix’s latest offering for those of us staying indoors during these difficult times. Originally meant to have its world premiere at South by Southwest earlier this month, the film is now dropping on the streaming platform on March 27. It tells the story of Elijah (Mamoudou Athie), a young man who dreams of becoming a top sommelier but whose father dreams of him keeping up with the family barbecue business.
His more supportive mother is played by Niecy Nash, and the family clashes and comes together in equal measure. The celebrated actress spoke with Screen Rant about the various dynamics at play in Uncorked, and she enjoyed sharing snippets of her co-stars antics around set as well.
Sylvia and Louis's personalities differ, yet they seem to really complement each other. You talk to me about their relationship?
Niecy Nash: Definitely the yin and the yang, you know? They have their own connective tissue and their own vibe with each other, but they absolutely parent differently. And it's in that place where we're trying to balance what we're each depositing into our son, so that he can ultimately be happy. I don't think Louis is as concerned about the happiness part of it. It's like, "You will be you will be happy doing what I tell you to do." I think that Sylvia definitely stands in the gap between the two, in life and death.
Courtney B. Vance plays your husband in the film. What is most surprising about him as an actor?
Niecy Nash: I worked with him before, many years ago. We did this little movie called Cookie's Fortune. What would I say surprised me the most? It's the fact that he ships a little bike and rides it around everywhere. I'm like, "Where are you going?" You know what I mean? It's raining and everything, and he gets a little bike out. "See y'all later!" Like, you don't want to get into the van? "No, I don't."
He rides a little bike around. You know have a set chair and it's a high chair? He brings his own chair because he likes a low chair. And he also introduced me into getting a personal sauna, where you sit in it and you just sweat to death. So, he always has a trick up his sleeve. And I like it. He's like a real life MacGyver in some ways.
Part of Uncorked's charm is that it feels and looks very modern, but it the vibe of a 70s family drama. What is it that makes this movie stand out to you?
Niecy Nash: I think that there are so many characters in it who people can identify with. We may all know a Sylvia, or we may all know a tough dad like Louis, or any of those people who are sitting around that dinner table, you know? Click-clacking and paddy whacking, and it was like, "What is going on here?"
I think that if you follow it, there is somebody in the film that you can identify from your own life.
Elijah's struggling with the issue of following his dream or helping the family business. Where does Silvia land on that argument?
Niecy Nash: I think she absolutely understands why Louis feels the way he does, but she also stands in support of Elijah. So, it's a delicate balance between the two, to be able to get them to see each other's point of view and what that looks like. But because she leans more into wanting her child to be fulfilled, she moves a little bit differently when it comes to supporting his dream of being a sommelier.
For many actors, there is a hook that draws them into the story that they want to tell. What was it that hooked you about Uncorked?
Niecy Nash: It was Prentice Penny, to be honest with you. I had known him for some years, and we had crossed paths on a couple of jobs. And he literally had me at hello. He called me and said, "I wrote this role and this film with you in mind," and I just was like, "Okay, yeah, I'll do it." I just loved him. I read the script after I committed.
What can you tell me about his directing style? I really liked his composition, cinematography, and even musical choices.
Niecy Nash: Well, I felt like he was very prepared. He knew exactly what he wanted. You didn't show up on the day with him looking around and trying to figure it out. He knew exactly what he wanted, which was reassuring. And because he's worked in other parts of the industry, he understands how to speak in an actor's [language], which is also important. He doesn't get ruffled easily, so no matter what's going on he keeps a cool head, as they say in Jamaica. He keeps a cool head.
How does having the same writer and director affect the actor's performance?
Niecy Nash: I just think that it gives it more clarity. Because sometimes you can have a split vision; the writer can see it this way and the director wants to do it that way. Now they're one and the same. You keep the synergy of telling the story that he wants to tell. So, yeah, I liked it.
What do you think people watching at home are going to take away from the film?
Niecy Nash: I think one of the major takeaways is believing in the call of your life sure, and in doing whatever it takes to walk it out. You have some people who really think that this world moves on them-esteem, Mama-esteem, us-esteem, as opposed to self-esteem. And Elijah needed to believe something even if nobody else did.
I have to ask: was there good barbecue on set?
Niecy Nash: There was good barbecue everywhere you turned. [We shot] in Memphis. And when people know you're there filming and you're doing a barbecue movie, they just show up with food like, "You gotta try this."
If you had to choose one from here on out, forever and ever, would you go with ribs or wine?
Niecy Nash: Only one from here on out? Wine. Absolutely, without hesitation.
What did you learn from Uncorked in terms of the wine aspect? There's so much about sommeliers that I didn't know before.
Niecy Nash: Let me just tell you something. I think Mamoudou learned so much. He was happy to share, and share, and share. You know what I mean? "Hey, y'all. Let's go downstairs to the lobby and have a snack." And then we end up getting the tutorial on where the wine came from, and the whole business. "This is how these grapes were [fermented]," you know? You're just like, "Okay, we got it. It just tastes great! Can we just relax right now?"
He let us know all the things that they let him know. But it was fun. We just teased him about it, but it was fun.
Uncorked has an underlying tension built around conflict of family expectations versus Elijah's personal dream. Can you relate to being distracted from your own dream while pursuing another goal?
Niecy Nash: No. My Plan A was to be an actor, and my Plan B was to make Plan A work. There wasn't anything else.