Forest Whitaker on the ‘Godfather of Harlem’

Although Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson has been depicted in films in some way or another over the decades, none of these iterations of the gangster have delved as deeply into his backstory as Showmax’s new show, Godfather of Harlem.

We sat down with the show’s lead actor and executive producer, Forest Whitaker, to get more insight into the man behind the story and the story itself.

Bumpy first appeared in the 1971 film, Shaft, where a character named Bumpy Jonas, based on Johnson, was played by Moses Gunn. Most recently, Johnson was portrayed by Clarence Williams III in the 2007 film, American Gangster.

Godfather of Harlem. Picture: Epix

Asked why Johnson captured the public’s imagination so thoroughly, Whitaker chalked it up to the life Johnson built for himself.

“He’s a mob boss who ran Harlem. Five families were running the Italian mob and in a way it’s weird because he kind of like ran the sixth family. It is something that was totally unique during that time period.”

The unique selling point for this show, according to Whitaker, is in the portrayal of Bumpy’s relationships.

“None of the characters that have been on screen have been explored deeply with regards to his relationships with his family. Certainly not his relationship with Malcom X and Adam Clay Powell and his relationships with the community itself.”

Godfather of Harlem. Picture: Epix

The project was brought to him by actor and producer Markuann Smith, a Harlem native who spent 18 years trying to bring the Bumpy Johnson story to mainstream TV. He had first heard about Bumpy from his godmother who was Bumpy’s granddaughter.

“When he (Makuann} came to me I thought it was interesting to try and develop something about Bumpy Johnson. What I discovered after I decided to create the script was these relationships we were talking about.

“This whole issue of crime and the civil rights movement and the politics of the day. That is what became interesting to me and that is why I decided to develop the script.”

Whitaker believes the show and it’s depictions of police brutality, polarisation of cultures and races and the opioid crisis act as a mirror of sorts to what is happening today, not just in Harlem and the US at large but the world.

Godfather of Harlem. Picture: Epix

During one of the early episodes of the series, a South African flag can be spotted hanging in the background of a boxing gym. This is a nod to the ties the civil rights movement had in highlighting the atrocities and rights abuses in South Africa under the rule of the apartheid government.

When asked why the people of America lent their voice to the fight against apartheid with such vigour, Whitaker said he believed the people of the time were led by a sense of justice and liberty and recognised when people were being oppressed.

It’s those ties that he believes will draw South Africans into the story of the Godfather of Harlem, currently on Showmax.

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