To write a memoir and have millions of people across the world read it is one thing, but for that memoir to then be adapted into a television show takes it to a whole other level. And that’s exactly how Tembi Locke became one of the most talked about people in Hollywood in 2022.
The writer and actor co-wrote the script of Netflix’s series From Scratch, based on her bestselling memoir From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home, alongside her sister and renowned author Attica Locke.
If you haven’t watched the series yet, it follows an American woman named Amy (played by Zoe Saldaña) who meets and falls in love with a chef named Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea) in Italy. Despite their different circumstances, the pair manage to make it work, eventually marrying and starting a new life together in the US. But when her husband is diagnosed with cancer, the couple face unthinkable challenges.
In real life, Tembi met her first husband, Saro Gullo, in a similar way when she was studying abroad in Italy. Also a chef, Saro moved with Tembi to the US where she became an actor. They married in 1995, but seven years later, Saro was diagnosed with cancer. This led to a decade-long battle with the illness. He died in 2012, and in 2019 Tembi wrote her memoir as a way to keep her late husband’s memory—and their story—alive.
But even after all of this, her tale is far from over. Here, we recap what Tembi Locke has done since then and what she’s doing now.
Where is Tembi Locke now?
Tembi Locke appears to be keeping busy with creative projects and events in 2024. This includes a podcast, Lifted, which is described as “a multi-season series investigating and celebrating what it takes to transform challenges into the inspired work of a lifetime”. It’s featured guests across the creative and culinary industries, including Emmy-nominated production designer Laura Fox (The White Lotus) and British cookbook author and former human rights campaigner Yasmin Khan.
She has also created a From Scratch self-study course inspired by her experiences.
On the film and TV production side of things, From Scratch is Locke’s most recent writing and producing credit, according to IMDb.com. It drew a lot of attention after it was picked up by Reese Witherspoon for her film production company, Hello Sunshine, and again when it was released on Netflix in September 2022.
As well as her memoir and screenwriting debut, Tembi also has experience in front of the camera, acting in well-known series including Never Have I Ever and NCIS: Los Angeles. She also starred in films including The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2019) and Collusions (2018).
Despite the public profile Tembi Locke has gained through her work, she’s currently not very active on social media. Her most recent Instagram post was from June 2023 (although fans are still posting comments on it).
Did Tembi Locke ever re-marry?
Yes, Tembi met her now-husband in 2016. While she has admitted she was reluctant to start something new, given Saro will always be close to her heart, she decided to move forward with her new partner, Robert.
Per The Cinemaholic, Tembi and Robert married in 2020 in a small ceremony with just their daughter, Zoela present.
In January 2022, Tembi shared a sweet photo with her husband in front of a sunset, along with the caption: “Happy New Year! May it bring peace, joy, wellness and unmitigated beauty.”
What does Tembi’s name mean?
Tembi is short for Tembekile, a South African name that means “trustworthy”, “trusted” or even “faithful” (a more common meaning when the name is spelled ‘Thembekile’).
This is also something she considered when naming the characters in the Netflix series.
“Amy’s name was a wink and a nod to having an Afrocentric name and the ways in which it changes,” she told Today. “But her parents always call her Amahle.”
This experience is familiar to Tembi, who’s full name was often shortened to “Tammy” or another similarly Anglicised name when she was growing up. So Tembi (which is usually pronounced to rhyme with “ten-bee” but can sometimes sound like “tim-be” depending on the accent) became her “shorthand” name.
Considering the experiences Tembi shared in her memoir, the meaning of her full name seems very fitting.
Tembi Locke’s daghter
Tembi and Saro adopted their daughter Zoela, who was seven years old when Saro died. She proudly attended the official premiere of From Scratch in 2022 alongside her mum.
Tembi also revealed in an interview with Today that there’s a hidden message for Zoela in the series that only her daughter will understand.
There’s an audible Easter egg in the series for her so that when she watches it, she’s going to hear a message from her dad to her,” she explained.
It seems Tembi Locke is now thriving as she enjoys the success of the Netflix series, her book, podcast and speaking events. But most importantly, she’s found happiness in other fulfilling ways.
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