‘Godfather Of Harlem’ EPs Reveal Why Malcolm X Was Revamped, Teasing Bumpy’s ‘New Reality’ (Exclusive)

godfather of harlem is shaking things up in season 3. The MGM+ series returns for season 3 on January 15 with Michael Raymond-James entering the fold as notorious mobster Joe Colombo. hollywood life spoke EXCLUSIVELY with the executive producers Chris Brancato Y Paul Eckstein on season 3, including the casting of Joe Colombo.

“There were two actors who really stood out as potential Columbuses, so what Paul and I did is what we do sometimes when we’re in that situation or, we go to our fellow executive producer. Whitaker Forest and we’re like, ‘Hey, Forest, maybe you have an opinion on acting,'” Chris said. hollywood life at the Winter 2023 Television Critics Association press tour. “And he came back and said, ‘You know, I have to tell you. The kids are great, but I’ll just say there was something about Michael Raymond-James. That tipped the scales for us, so that’s what we assumed. We told Michael when he came on board, ‘He was really close to you and the other guy. The guy who pushed you over the finish line was Mr. Whitaker. He was so happy. He’s a wonderful chameleon.”

Chris noted that Joe Colombo’s introduction to the world of Bumpy was partly due to Vincent D’Onofrio initial lack of availability. “So we thought we needed a new take on an Italian antagonist for Bumpy, and at some point we’ll still have Vincent back,” revealed Cris. “We haven’t said goodbye yet, so how do we do it? How do we fill the void? We were excited to write the character of Joe Colombo, who we saw as a new-age mobster.”

godfather of harlem season 3 will also be present Jason Alan Carvell Playing malcom xtaking on the role of the fan favorite nigel saw. Chris and Paul explained why the role of Malcolm X needed to be recast.

“The season started about 4 or 5 months later than it should have and Nigél had other projects he was busy with, so we literally couldn’t get him at our disposal,” said Chris. “We had to do what you never want to do, especially when an actor’s performance is as brilliant as Nigél’s, is find someone else. Through what I considered a small miracle, we found an actor. It will take the audience a minute to adjust, but he’s very serious. He is very hot. I think he plays Malcolm very skillfully. I think the audience at the end of the season will be like, wow, you’re so lucky. You have two great actors.”

Paul added, “It’s interesting when you think about it because he’s such an iconic person and denzel [Washington]in I’ve played with him before, I was out there. But, in a sense, we have two versions of our program that are uniquely different and almost incomparable. You really can’t tell which is better or worse because it’s such profound choices that each of these actors has made. For Jason, the warmth of him, his ability to really make us feel what he’s going through on a family level, on a personal level, it really works and it’s really vibrant. Nigél brought something else just as powerful, so we’re very excited to have this new approach.”

Throughout season 3, Chris revealed that Bumpy will realize that “he can’t do it alone and he’s going to have to make alliances and that at the beginning of the season he’s going to be with a Cuban gangster. If last year was the French connection and their attempt to smuggle heroin out of Marseilles, this year it’s the Cuban connection and their alliance with a Spanish ringleader from Harlem in their fight against the Italians, which is sort of mirror image of the covenant. Black-Latina who was ongoing in the civil rights movement at the time. These covenants will test your patience and ultimately test your life.

Bumpy will also be dealing with more personal and internal issues, Chris teased. Chris said that “Bumpy’s own conscience will start questioning him about what he’s doing with his own community. In other words, they can’t hide behind the excuse that if someone is selling drugs, it could be me, because I give the money back to the community. This will sound a little hollow. Bumpy will be forced to face his own conscience and the disapproval of those around him. It’s an important season personally and obviously there’s all the gangster stuff.”

Paul noted, “I think his other challenge is going to be with his wife, where we’re going to see them step into a new reality and a new modern reality. I think it also speaks to the changing times and the awareness of women”. Mayme will start working for Adam Clayton Powell and “has some political aspirations of its own,” according to Chris. godfather of harlem airs Sundays on MGM+.

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