•
S. Epatha Merkerson as Rachel "Nanny" Crosby •
Hill Harper as
Ruben Santiago Jr. as an adult •
Marcus Carl Franklin as Ruben Santiago Jr. as a boy, ages 7–10 •
Jimmy Smits as Ruben Santiago Sr., Ruben's father •
Terrence Howard as Bill Crosby, Nanny's much younger husband •
Mos Def as The Bandleader •
Carmen Ejogo as Alean Hudson, Ruben's mother •
Louis Gossett Jr as Ol'lem Taylor, a retired
Negro league baseball player •
Macy Gray as Pauline, a resident and Jimmy's girlfriend •
Michael K. Williams as Jimmy, a resident and Pauline's boyfriend •
Ernie Hudson as Dick Barrymore, a cabaret owner •
Delroy Lindo as Mr. Lucious, a resident •
Rosie Perez as Bertha, a hairdresser and resident •
Adina Porter as Ricky, a resident •
Jeffrey Wright as Small Paul •
Barry Shabaka Henley as Shakey Winfield, a resident and Nanny's cousin •
Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Freddie Cobbs, a World War II veteran •
Saul Williams as Lonnie, a resident and Vietnam War veteran •
Liev Schreiber as Ulysses Ford, a social worker •
Julie Benz as Laura, an abused wife •
Henry Simmons as Jesse, Laura's abusive husband •
Patricia Wettig as Laura's Mother •
Ron Kellum as Fish Fry guest •
Robert Bradley as Otis McClanahan (credited as "Robert A. Bradley" in some sources) The blind Detroit street singer Robert Bradley from the band
Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise appears in the film. He performs on-screen and has three songs featured on the soundtrack (including a duet with Macy Gray). ==Production==