Shadow and Act has an exclusive clip from this weekend’s Godfather of Harlem featuring Forest Whitaker.
Godfather of Harlem Season 2 finds Bumpy Johnson “battling the New York Crime Families for control of the lucrative and murderous “French Connection,” the pipeline for heroin that runs from Marseilles to New York Harbor. With a distribution syndicate that includes black crime bosses from other major U.S. cities, Bumpy takes a cue from his friend Malcolm X’s message of black economic nationalism. His ambitious plan will face challenges from not only the Italians but his wife Mayme, daughter Elise, rival Adam Clayton Powell, prosecutor Robert Morgenthau, and even Malcolm himself. Once again, Godfather of Harlem explores the collision of the criminal underworld and civil rights in the colorful, tumultuous year of 1964.”
Returning cast members for season 2 alongside Whitaker are Vincent D’Onofrio, lfenesh Hadera, Nigél Thatch, Giancarlo Esposito, Lucy Fry, Rafi Gavron and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy. In addition, Erik LaRay Harvey and Demi Singleton (King Richard) have been bumped up to series regular status for season 2.
The description of the episode reads, “When innocent black teenagers and bystanders are savagely beaten and arrested by police, the Harlem community rallies to free them. Adam Clayton Powell (Esposito) and Mayme Johnson (Ilfenesh Hadera) use peaceful protest, but Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker) and Malcolm X (Thatch) prefer street justice.”
Watch a preview of the episode below: