Godfather of Harlem season 4 is nearing its end, and the new episodes have proven to be nothing short of riveting. Even as Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) has tried to navigate his newfound legitimate career, he’s been met with old foes and out-of-the-blue rivals at nearly every turn. Thankfully for him, he’s found support in his loving family and “loyalty” in his two most trusted lieutenants, Nat Pettigrew (Elvis Nolasco) and Del Chance (Eric LaRay Harvey).
Recently, What to Watch got to catch up with Nolasco and Harvey, and ask them their take on the new episodes of Godfather of Harlem. Not only did they share their thoughts on their characters' evolution in four seasons and their opinions on the new additions of Rome Flynn’s Frank Lucas and Michael Benjamin Washington’s James Baldwin; but, Nolasco and Harvey also talked about their hopes for a possible season 5 (as of publication, no announcement has been made the renewal status of the series).
Let's take a look at just some of the things Nolasco and Harvey told our team.
Where do you each draw inspiration to portray Nat Pettigrew and Del Chance, respectively?
Harvey: My character, he was one of the remaining members of the gang that was still alive when we started filming. I’m not sure if he’s still alive today. I think he is, but I’m not quite sure. But yeah, he was based off of one of the true-life gang members of the gang back then. So, we’ve had to take some fictional licenses with his character to make it more dramatic, but he, Del Chance, is based off a real character.
Nolasco: Same here, Nat/Nathaniel Pettigrew was also a real person, part of Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson’s crew. Of course, some license has been taken creatively by Chris Brancato and the team, and they’ve made a few changes here. The inspiration for me really just comes from one being a New Yorker, born and raised in New York, spending a lot of time in Harlem and just knowing what that vibrancy is for Harlem. Yes, it has changed throughout times, you know we talk a lot about gentrification. But, I was fortunate to still be growing up in Harlem and being able to see still some of that flavor, some of that resonance, from the 1960s, from the 1970s. So a lot of my inspiration comes from just being there in Harlem. And yeah, that’s inspiration enough for me.
What would you say is the biggest shifts in your characters from season 1 to season 4?
Nolasco: From season 1 to season 2 to season 3 and now season 4, I’ve seen the characters, especially Nat Pettigrew, sort of grow. And you see more and get to know more of his backstory throughout the seasons. And of course, season 4 is coming out with a huge bang for Nat Pettigrew, and not just Nat, but a lot of the different characters from the show.
Harvey: As far as changes in character, it’s dependent on the year [chuckling]. We’re a gang that changes with the times.
How was having Frank Lucas and James Baldwin in the mix this season?
Nolasco: Again, it’s just going back to the conversation of the changes of times. It made perfect sense for Frank Lucas to come in now, in season 4, being that we’re now moving out of 66 and kind of going into 67, and then moving into soon Woodstock...
And here’s this character now, Frank Lucas, played by Rome Flynn. And how was that? That was like adding a new spice to some marinated chicken [laughing]. It just heightens everything else up for everyone on board.
Harvey: Here we have this new introduction of someone who sort of comes in and brings a little chink in the armor, so to speak, in Frank Lucas. And I think Rome is starting out and he’s doing a beautiful job so far. And I’m so glad they brought James Baldwin’s character into the storyline, because he was one of the premier voices and intellects of our times. I mean, James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time, my man. You know he spoke reason to what was going on. And after the death of Malcolm, we need some explanation about what’s going on in the community. James Baldwin’s character and Michael the actor, they’re doing a great job in helping us navigate this sort of emotional time.
What are you both looking for in a season 5 if renewed?
Nolasco: The series really does a wonderful job mashing together the underworld with the Civil Rights Movement. So moving into the 70s, we’re probably going to see a different movement taking effect. I would like to be able to continue to see, and I think the viewers will also agree, that when it comes to the underworld and when it comes to politics and when it comes to how things are moving around, that corruption is not just looked upon from one lens.
So I think that moving forward, I think the audience is still going to want to see that weaving of the underworld, and the Civil Rights Movement and the politics. And are they different, or do they have a lot more commonalities than we’d like to think?
Harvey: First, we have to get renewed. So I’m not even thinking about season 5 until, [laughing] there’s an answer that there will be a season 5. Once that answer is established, then I think I’m going to leave it up to the creative team to decide to see where season 5 goes.
Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.
