Nigél Thatch was notably recast as Malcolm X in the MGM+ Godfather of Harlem series.
After a two-year hiatus, the streaming drama is finally set to return in April, reopening the book on this fictionalized take on the real-life gangster Bumpy Johnson starring Forest Whitaker, Lucy Fry, and The Rookie actor Deric Augustine.
As a part of following Bumpy's rise to crime boss status, fans have watched as he formed an unlikely alliance with the Muslim minister Malcolm X, who is climbing the political ladder in New York City.
Godfather of Harlem Malcolm X Recast & Nigel Thatch's Replacement Explained
As audiences prepare for Godfather of Harlem Season 4, fans revisit one of the show's biggest moves in recent years, the recasting of Malcolm X.
For the first two seasons of the hit MGM+ series, Nigél Thatch played the real-life political leader but was recast coming into Season 3, with Jason Alan Carvell taking over the role.
In the upcoming fourth season, due on April 13, Carvell is again set to play Tatch's character, signifying that this change was permanent and Thatch is done with the series.
As for why this change was made, it ultimately came down to scheduling conflicts (as it often does).
In January 2023, series creators Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein revealed why Tatch was not coming back for Season 3, telling Hollywood Life, "The season started about 4 to 5 months later than it was supposed to," and the former Malcolm X actor had "other projects that he had committed to:"
"The season started about 4 to 5 months later than it was supposed to and Nigél had other projects that he had committed to, so we literally were not able to have him available to us."
"We had to do what you never want to have to do," the series creatives admitted about the recast, adding that it was "a minor miracle [they] found an actor" to take on the role:
"We had to do what you never want to have to do, particularly when an actor’s performance has been so brilliant like Nigél’s, is find someone else. Through what I considered a minor miracle we found an actor. The audience is going to take a minute to adjust, but he’s got a lot of gravitas. He’s got a lot of warmth. I think he very capably plays Malcolm. I think the audience at the end of the season is going to say, wow, you guys are really lucky. You’ve gotten two great actors."
In a conversation with Newsweek, the pair of Godfarther of Harlem creators elaborated on this saying, "Nigél had other projects he was pursuing and the dates didn't work out and so we were reluctantly forced to [recast]:"
"Because of the business circumstances surrounding the show, and when it was initially greenlit for a third season, which was never in doubt it just took a while on the business side, Nigél had other projects he was pursuing and the dates didn't work out and so we were reluctantly forced to [recast]."
They still believe Thatch's "performance is extraordinary," but in Carvell, they found someone who "has a similar gravitas:"
"We love Nigél, his performance is extraordinary and yet it was a timing thing. So, we had to go look for a new actor, it was a very hard role to fill, particularly to fill Nigél's shoes. But, in Jason Alan Carvell, what we found was an actor who has a similar gravitas to Nigél and a presence, and also a warmth that we thought was very appealing, and so, both Jason and Nigél, we couldn't ask for better actors to fill that role."
"It's unusual to make a Season 3 shift," Brancato and Eckstein continued, positing that "we actually think our viewers will understand:"
"Yes, it's unusual to make a Season 3 shift," he added. "But we actually think our viewers will understand and the minute they start to see Jason performing they will put his performance alongside Nigél's as the truly excellent performance that it is."
Looking at Thatch's list of recent projects, it is unclear what could have conflicted with filming on Godfather of Harlem, but whatever it was, it was enough of a priority to stop him from returning for Season 3.
The hit MGM+ series, which is the streamer's most successful series to date, is set to start its Season 4 run in April, with 10 episodes taking fans through to mid-June.
Godfather of Harlem Seasons 1-3 are streaming on MGM+. Season 4 begins on April 13.
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