A Forest Whitaker masterclass

At a recent event in Johannesburg, radio and TV personality Anele Mdoda interviewed Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker about his role as Bumpy Johnson in Godfather of Harlem.

Set in the 1960s, a pivotal time in the civil right’s movement of the United States, the series follows the real-life story of respected crime boss Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson. A convicted criminal and gangster, Bumpy was also a force for change in Harlem, a skilled chess player and a poet.

Forest Whitaker, who is outstanding in the role, chats to Anele about his process, his research into Bumpy’s life and his experience in the series, which included meeting with ex-gang members: “There are some people still alive who were in his [Bumpy’s] gangs, 94-year-old guys who live in Harlem and I went out there and met with them,” said Whitaker.

When asked if he feels the need to protect Bumpy Johnson as the mobster that he was, Whitaker said, “Whenever I play a character I feel some loyalty to try to be as honest as I can. I’m not justifying the different things that he’s done, but I want to try to show the core reasons why those things are motivated. How we become what we become. Bumpy was very complicated. He had two sides to him.”

Watch the masterclass with Forest Whitaker