Godfather of Harlem Season 4 Complete Cast Guide

Nivedita Dubey
April 13, 2025

Key Points:

Godfather of Harlem Season 4 premieres April 13, 2025, on MGM+, featuring new and returning cast members.
Forest Whitaker leads as Bumpy Johnson, joined by key roles like Mayme Johnson and Joe Colombo.
New characters include Frank Lucas and James Baldwin, adding fresh historical layers.

Godfather of Harlem returns to MGM+ after a nearly two-year hiatus, dropping viewers straight back into the gritty streets of 1960s Harlem. At its center, Forest Whitaker once again takes up the role of Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, navigating the dangerous dance between civil rights movements and organized crime.

Season 4 picks up after the assassination of Malcolm X, with Bumpy now facing off against a rising threat: Frank Lucas. The season promises more street-level turf wars, mafia betrayals, and radical politics—each woven into a real history that’s as compelling as the fiction it inspires.

**Who Are the Main Cast Members in Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem?**

The heartbeat of the show lies in its core ensemble. Forest Whitaker returns as Bumpy Johnson, the Harlem crime boss whose fight for control blends ruthlessness with community loyalty. He’s joined by several familiar faces from previous seasons:

Actor	Character	Description
Forest Whitaker	Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson	The titular character, a Harlem crime boss fighting to reclaim his territory.
Ilfenesh Hadera	Mayme Johnson	Bumpy’s wife, offering emotional support and insight into family dynamics.
Lucy Fry	Stella Gigante	Vincent Gigante’s rebellious daughter, caught in the crossfire of rivalries.
Antoinette Crowe-Legacy	Elise Johnson	Bumpy’s daughter, increasingly involved with the Black Panthers post-Malcolm X.
Erik LaRay Harvey	Del Chance	Bumpy’s closest enforcer, pivotal in street-level operations.
Michael Raymond James	Joe Colombo	An Italian mob boss, a key adversary in Bumpy’s battle for Harlem, confirmed by recent articles (TV Insider).

These actors are listed as starring in MGM+’s official press materials, cementing their place at the forefront of Season 4’s storyline.

Which Recurring and Guest Characters Return for Season 4?

Whoopi Goldberg in Godfather of Harlem Season 4 Trailer

Beyond the central crew, a rich mix of recurring and guest stars adds dimension to the drama. These characters may not be in every episode, but they help paint a fuller picture of 1960s Harlem’s layered tensions:

Actor	Character	Note	Description
Vincent D’Onofrio	Vincent “Chin” Gigante	Recurring	The mafia boss and Bumpy’s main rival, confirmed returning in press materials.
Whoopi Goldberg	Miss Willa	Recurring	A community leader, previously seen in guest roles, confirmed for Season 4 via IMDb (IMDb).
Elvis Nolasco	Nat Pettigrew	Recurring	A recurring figure in Bumpy’s circle, enhancing street-level conflicts.
Rome Flynn	Frank Lucas	New	A rising Black gangster, introduced as a potential rival, highlighted in trailers (ScreenRant).
Erik Palladino	Giuseppe “Pino” Greco	New	A Sicilian mafia hitman, adding international tension, noted in casting updates (TV Insider).
Michael Benjamin Washington	James Baldwin	New	Renowned writer and activist, bringing historical depth, announced in September 2024 (Deadline).
Elijah Wright	Jerome Greene	New	A Harlem youth joining the Black Panthers, announced alongside Washington (Deadline).
Devin Kessler	Afeni Shakur	New	Mother of Tupac Shakur, adding historical context, noted in recent previews (Essence).

The recurring roles provide a sense of continuity while keeping the narrative threads messy enough to feel real—this isn’t a tidy crime story. It’s a sprawling chessboard.

Are Any Major Characters Missing in Season 4?

Yes, and their absence is noticeable. For instance:

Malcolm X, previously portrayed by Jason Alan Carvell, is referenced in the Season 4 setup, but not expected to appear actively—flashbacks may be possible, but nothing has been confirmed.
Giancarlo Esposito as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. is also not listed in press materials, which may disappoint fans who appreciated his political balancing act.

Some characters may pop in for a cameo or flashback, but as of now, they’re off the main board. That’s part of the show’s evolution—it doesn’t hold onto every thread if the larger weave is going somewhere new.