Godfather Of Harlem Is Still That Show—And Rome Flynn Is Here To Prove Why

The city of Harlem is synonymous with Black culture, arts, excellence, and identity. A hub for social and political activism, it laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement and remains a landmark of resilience and community power. Yet, the glitz and glamour of Harlem have always been matched by grit and grind, as clearly depicted in the MGM+ hit series The Godfather of Harlem. Now in its fourth season, the show not only dives into the rise of the criminal underworld through figures like Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Forest Whitaker) but also confronts the racial reckoning Black communities across the nation faced: police brutality, racial profiling and systemic oppression. An unfortunate reality that sadly still persists today.

New to the cast this season is actor Rome Flynn, who is bringing emotional depth and cultural awareness to his role. "It's documented—the kind of lifestyle you probably had at his [Frank Lucas] age," Flynn shares about his portrayal of a young Frank Lucas. "But I think he had so much trauma and so much resentment toward his upbringing, and what had happened to him growing up, and the things that he saw."

He continues, "All those things are relevant because of obviously the Civil Rights precedent during that time. We were at the forefront of fighting for those things in those years. This season introduces the Black Panthers and other prolific figures who I feel bring a different levity and grounding to the show. But that's what this show is built on: credibility."

As a viewer of the series since its 2019 debut, I can honestly say that while fictionalized in some ways, the show displays the nuanced livelihood many people can identify with. The constant tug-of-war between doing right by yourself, your family and your community is a reality that resonates deeply. Whether in politics, the belly of the beast, or everyday life, the show is a reminder that in a world filled with injustice and danger: only the strong survive.

Adding to those sentiments, Flynn says, "During that time period, his life sort of shaped his perspective as he got to Harlem and needed to adapt to how they do things. He had to work with some adversaries—people he told himself he never would. But through his journey in Harlem, [he learned] you have to be able to play both sides of the fence when it comes to business. And he learns that along the way. So it's been really great to be able to tell that story."

While the show's premise is based on Johnson and the broader organized crime network, we can't fail to mention the women who played pivotal roles in shaping the household, setting the tempo and holding the community together, all while igniting change. For instance, Johnson's wife, Mayme Johnson, who often operated behind the scenes but never without influence, challenged her husband both morally and intellectually. 

"She is the glue that holds the Johnson family together," actress Ilfenesh Hadera once said in describing her portrayal of Mayme Johnson in a previous interview. For generations, Black women have held it down from every angle, sometimes as quiet soldiers. Yet during trials and tribulations, calm and chaos, their impact is undeniable. Carrying on that legacy, Mayme serves as a constant reminder that behind every movement, every man, every moment of change, there's often a Black woman to credit. Just think about our own mothers, aunties, grandmothers or surrogates who may not share the same blood but embody that same nurturing, unwavering and familial spirit. 

Award-winning actor Denzel Washington can attest to this. In 2019, while accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, he made sure to honor his wife, Pauletta Washington, saying: "The most important person in my life. Forty years. 40 years of sacrifice, 40 years of forgiveness. She taught me about faith, spirituality, love—real love, unwavering love in spite of myself. I would not be alive without Pauletta Washington."

Let me just say that we love to see and hear a Black man sing his wife's praises. There's just something about that love-out-loud type of energy free from pride and ego that feels both admirable and aspirational. Speaking of Washington, he famously portrayed Frank Lucas in the 2007 film American Gangster. Now, nearly two decades later, Flynn steps into a younger version of that role in Godfather of Harlem. Aware of the weight of the character he's inheriting and the shoes he's stepping into, the How to Get Away with Murder actor is determined to make the role his own.

"The good thing about my business, the business that I'm in, is that it's all subjective. My interpretation of Frank is obviously very different from Denzel's. But even if we had played the same character at the same moment, same time, we would still have different interpretations." 

He goes on to say, "My approach to it is appreciating the blueprint that [Denzel] kind of established, and obviously appreciating the work of who he is—and continues to be. But I relish in the moments of being able to step into shoes that people feel are too big for me. I love proving people wrong—and proving myself right." 

Beyond the drama, tension and action-packed dramatization, what struck me watching the show was how it grounded these criminals in genuine human emotion and relatability. It made me think differently about what strength looks like for Black men on screen.

Flynn elaborates on this shift in perspective, "I think we've been accustomed to seeing characters like Bumpy Johnson and Frank Lucas, these hardened criminals, these drug dealers, these gangsters, to have it not being empathetic. And now, we see them with a sense of empathy and a sense of self-reflection. I think it was really daring for the show to portray Bumpy in his relationship with his wife and his kids in a sensitive manner. It gave the show a great sense of contrast."

He adds, "There are moments where he's emotional and he cries. For a guy who is so ruthless at times, to be able to have that empathy and still feel what he needs to feel in those moments, I think it helps, in a small way, shape people's perspective on these characters we're playing. And obviously, people watch the show for other reasons—they don't watch it for that. But that's the job of an actor: to set that foundation so that you make a fully dimensional person. A person that has feelings and cries if he needs to. So that's part of pushing the progressive perspective of masculinity now because that's life."

As the series unfolds, Godfather of Harlem continues to offer a vivid observation of the criminal underworld, providing an in-depth look at the varied roles men and women play in shaping communities. Confronting the intersection of race, identity and personal struggles during the height of societal and political injustices plaguing the brutal realities of Harlem, one can't help but gain a sense of understanding when it comes to the multi-dimensional nature of these hardened criminals who have had the odds stacked against them repeatedly since early childhood. These last three seasons have offered a fresh perspective and a deeper look into the rise and fall of certain criminal enterprises while emphasizing the importance of empathy, self-reflection and understanding within a survival of the fittest narrative, which often comes at an emotional price.

Godfather of Harlem is streaming Sundays on MGM+.