‘Godfather Of Harlem’: Rome Flynn Expanding Notorious Drug Lord Frank Lucas’ Origin Story In Season 4
EXCLUSIVE: Emmy Award-winner Rome Flynn (With Love, How To Get Away With Murder) is set to recur in the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem for Season 4.
Flynn will portray real-life gangster Frank Lucas, who is described by the streamer as “a country boy from North Carolina who ventured to Harlem and, after initial friction with gangster Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), eventually rose to become Bumpy’s fierce defender and right-hand man.” Denzel Washington depicted Lucas in the movie American Gangster, but in Godfather of Harlem, his story begins 10 years earlier than in the film.
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Created by Chris Brancato (Narcos, Hotel Cocaine) and the late Paul Eckstein, Godfather of Harlem tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from 11 years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles.
In Season 4, Bumpy continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families, while contending with the emergence of a potential rival in newly arrived Black gangster Frank Lucas. After Malcolm X’s (Jason Alan Carvell) tragic death, Bumpy must also grapple with his daughter Elise’s (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) involvement with the Black Panthers.
“When I saw Rome’s audition, I immediately knew we’d found our man – equal parts charming and ruthless, savvy and suave. Rome is a wonderful actor who can go toe-to-toe with Forest Whitaker and our other great performers,” said Brancato in a statement to Deadline.
Ilfenesh Hadera, Lucy Fry, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy and Erik LaRay Harvey are among the cast returning for Season 4. The first three seasons are available to stream on MGM+.
Produced by ABC Signature, the series is executive produced by Brancato, Paul Eckstein, Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, Markuann Smith and Ray Quinlan. Michael Panes and Stephen Schiff serve as writing executive producers, and Swizz Beatz serves as executive music producer.
“I’m filled with gratitude! Thrilled to be a part of the Godfather of Harlem universe and breathe new life into the legend of Frank Lucas. I have so much admiration for Forest Whitaker. Working opposite him, being led by the brilliant creator Chris Brancato, is truly a gift. An actor’s dream,” Flynn shared.
Flynn is coming off a stint on NBC’s Chicago Fire where he played firefighter Derrick Gibson in Season 12. Before that, he starred in Gloria Calderon Kellett’s Prime Video series With Love in the series regular role of Santiago Zayas. Working opposite Omari Hardwick and Kelly Rowland, Flynn brought to life Anderson Fisher in the Paramount+ film Fantasy Football in 2022.
Flynn is best known for his work in the CBS daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful, a role that earned him a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in 2018. As well as his work in ABC’s How To Get Away with Murder in the role of Gabriel Maddox, son of Sam Keating (Tom Verica) and a law student of Annalise Keating (Viola Davis).
Additional TV credits include Netflix’s superhero drama Raising Dion and Dear White People, CBS’s NCIS: New Orleans and MacGyver, as well as VH1’s Drumline: A New Beat.
Flynn is represented by Greene Talent, Weiner Management and Meyer & Downs.
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