The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the upcoming Epix series Godfather of Harlem has cast Vincent D’Onofrio (Daredevil, Full Metal Jacket) in a key role. D’Onofrio will play Vincent “Chin” Gigante, a former boxer who works his way up from enforcer to hitman to, eventually, the crime boss of the Genovese crime family. Gigante is thought to be a dimwitted thug but uses that as a ruse to mask his razor-sharp criminal mind, outwitting rivals and avoiding prosecution along the way.
He’ll join Forest Whitaker (Black Panther, The Crying Game), who is playing fellow crime boss Bumpy Johnson. The series has been ordered straight-to-series by the cable network EPIX.
Whitaker is also set to executive produce alongside his Significant Productions banner topper Nia Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, Markuann Smith, and Chris Brancato (Narcos) and Paul Eckstein, who are also attached to serve as writers on the ABC Signature Studios project.
D’Onofrio was just seen in director Eli Roth’s remake of Death Wish, and will star alongside Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke in the Billy the Kid biopic The Kid, which D’Onofrio will also direct. He’s also rumored to be returning to his role of Wilson Fisk, AKA The Kingpin, for season three of Marvel’s Daredevil, though its release date is currently unknown. Godfather of Harlem joins a scripted roster for Epix, including drama Berlin Station and comedy Get Shorty. The deal comes after Wright took over the cabler for Mark Greenberg five months ago.
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