Main •
Damson Idris as Franklin Saint, a young drug
kingpin and patriarch of
The Family, a crew of
crack cocaine producers/dealers based in
South Central Los Angeles. •
Carter Hudson as Theodore "Teddy" McDonald / Reed Thompson, a
CIA operative working undercover for the American government in the war against
communism in Nicaragua. •
Emily Rios as Lucia Villanueva (seasons 1–2), the daughter of a Mexican crime boss and heiress to the Villanueva Cartel, a Mexican
drug cartel. •
Sergio Peris-Mencheta as Gustavo "El Oso" Zapata, a former
Mexican luchador employed as an enforcer for the Villanueva Cartel. •
Michael Hyatt as Sharon "Cissy" Saint, Franklin's mother and a veteran real estate agent. •
Amin Joseph as Jerome Saint, Franklin's OG uncle and a member of The Family and teaches his nephew the ins and outs of drug dealing and gangster life. •
Angela Lewis as Louanne "Louie" Saint (née Jones), Jerome's girlfriend (and later wife), a former hustler, and member of The Family. • Juan Javier Cardenas as Alejandro Usteves (season 1), a Nicaraguan
Contra soldier and pilot who works with Teddy as a CIA asset by smuggling cocaine. • Isaiah John as Leon Simmons, Franklin's best friend and second-in-command of the Family who is affiliated with the
PJ Watts Crips. • Filipe Valle Costa as Pedro Nava (seasons 1–2), Lucia's cousin and a member of The Villanueva Cartel. •
Alon Aboutboul as Avi Drexler (
Hebrew: אבי דרכסלר) (seasons 1–5), an
Israeli
drug lord and the head of a powerful
Israeli crime syndicate with connections to
Mossad. •
Malcolm Mays as Kevin Hamilton (seasons 1–2), Franklin and Leon's childhood friend and a member of The Family. •
Marcus Henderson as Andre Wright (season 3; recurring season 1; guest season 2), a sergeant in the
LAPD, Melody's father and Franklin's neighbor. •
Kevin Carroll as Alton Williams (season 4; recurring seasons 2–3; guest season 1), Franklin's estranged recovering alcoholic father and a former member of the
Black Panthers. •
Devyn A. Tyler as Veronique Turner (seasons 5–6), Franklin's girlfriend and a non-practicing lawyer who uses her real estate firm to establish drug fronts for The Family. •
Gail Bean as Wanda Bell-Simmons (season 6; recurring seasons 2–5), Leon's girlfriend, and later wife, who develops a strong addiction to crack cocaine and later was
detoxed. •
Alejandro Edda as Rubén (season 6; recurring season 5), a
Cuban spy affiliated with the
KGB who works with the Saints as part of a plan to eliminate Teddy.
Recurring •
Reign Edwards as Melody Wright (seasons 1–3; guest season 4), Franklin's on/off girlfriend and Andre's daughter. •
Peta Sergeant as Julia (seasons 1, 3; guest seasons 2, 5–6), Teddy's ex-wife, mother of their son Paul, and a CIA agent. • Jonathan Avigdori as Yuda (seasons 1, 3; guest season 2), one of Avi's two bodyguards. •
Nic Bishop as James Ballard (season 1; guest season 2), Teddy's first CIA handler. •
Judith Scott as Claudia Crane (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), the owner of a local nightclub and Louie's former lover. •
Moe Irvin as Santos (season 1; guest season 3), Claudia's head of security. • Taylor Kowalski as Rob Volpe (seasons 1–3; guest seasons 4–5), Franklin's friend from high school, a crack bagger, and a member of The Family. • Carlos Linares as Mauricio Villanueva (season 1), Lucia's father and the patriarch of the Villanueva Cartel. •
José Zúñiga as Ramiro Nava (season 1), Lucia's maternal uncle, Pedro's father, and the second-in-command of the Villanueva Cartel. •
Tony Sancho as Eduardo "Stomper" Castillo (season 1; guest season 2), the leader of Los Monarcas, a Mexican street gang. •
Markice Moore as Ray-Ray (season 1; guest season 2), a reckless thief from Compton. • Craig Tate as Lenny (season 1), a violent thief from Compton and Ray-Ray's friend. •
Justine Lupe as Victoria Grelli (season 1), a young woman who befriends Teddy whilst looking for her missing sister Kristen. • Michael Ray Escamilla as Hernan Zapata (seasons 1, 3–4; guest season 2), Gustavo's brother who is a wheelchair user. • Wade Allain-Marcus as Diego (season 2; guest seasons 1, 4), a co-leader of the
Cali Cartel, a Colombian crime syndicate. • Izzy Diaz as Danilo (season 2; guest seasons 1, 4), Diego's brother and a co-leader of the Cali Cartel. •
Jonathan Tucker as Matt McDonald (season 2; guest season 3), Teddy's younger brother, a
Vietnam War veteran and a pilot. •
DeRay Davis as DeJohn "Peaches" Hill (seasons 2–5; guest season 6), a Vietnam War veteran and enforcer for The Family. • Adriana DeGirolami as Lorena Cardenas / Soledad Caro (seasons 2–3), Pedro's fiancée and an undercover
DEA agent from
Texas. • Marcelo Olivas as Santiago "Conejo" Estrada (season 2), an OG
soldado who works with Los Manarcas. • Scott Subiono as Tony Marino (seasons 2–3, 6; guest seasons 4–5), a DEA Agent and Lorena's handler who works to stop the crack cocaine trade in Los Angeles. •
Matthew Alan as Stephen Havemeyer (seasons 3–4, 6; guest seasons 2, 5), Teddy's second CIA handler. • Jordan Coleman as Thaddeus "Fatback" Barber (seasons 3–4), Leon's bodyguard and a member of The Family. • Bentley Green as C.J. (seasons 3–4), an up-and-coming member of The Family. •
Melvin Gregg as Drew "Manboy" Miller (seasons 3–4), Franklin's associate and the leader of the
Compton Crips. • Calvin Clausell Jr. as Bootsy (season 3; guest season 4), the second-in-command of the Compton Crips. •
Christian Tappan as Rigo Vasco (season 3), a drug lord associated with the
Medellín Cartel, a Colombian crime syndicate. • Asjha Cooper as Eva Walker (season 3), one of Melody's best friends, and Leon's fling. • Nate' Jones as Shon-Shon (season 3), A former friend-turned-rival of Melody and Eva. •
Jesse Luken as Herb "Nix" Nixon (season 3; guest season 4), a rogue corporal in the LAPD and Andre's friend. • Evan Allen-Gessesse as Renny (seasons 4–6; guest seasons 2–3), an enforcer for The Family. •
De'Aundre Bonds as Terrence "Skully" Brown (seasons 3–6), the OG Leader of the
Inglewood Bloods. •
Suzy Nakamura as Irene Abe (season 4), a journalist working for the
Los Angeles Herald Examiner who investigates the ongoing drug trade in Los Angeles. • Stephen Ruffin as Wilson (season 4), Irene's assistant at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. • Kwame Patterson as Lurp (season 4), a freelancer, Vietnam War Veteran, Franklin's bodyguard, and a member of The Family. • Geffri Maya as Khadijah Brown (season 4), Skully's wife, the mother of his daughter, Tianna Brown, and the sister of Manboy. • Adrianna Mitchell as Tanosse (season 4), Franklin's ex-girlfriend from high school whom he reconnects with. • Ezana Alem as Dimehead (season 4), a reckless member of the Compton Crips. • Joey Marie Urbina as Xiamara (seasons 4–6), Nuvia's sister and later Gustavo's girlfriend. • Christine Horn as Beverly "Black Diamond" Young (seasons 4–5; guest season 6), a bounty hunter and later an enforcer for The Family. •
Taylor Polidore as Dallas Ali (seasons 4–5; guest season 6), a bounty hunter, Black Diamond's partner, and later an enforcer for The Family. • Cordaro Kendricks as Cornrows (season 4; guest seasons 3 and 5), Skully's right-hand man. • Quincy Chad as Deon "Big D" Barber (seasons 5–6; guest season 4), Fatback's cousin and the OG leader of the PJ Watts Crips. • Kamron Alexander as Einstein (seasons 5–6; guest season 4), the brains behind Deon's Crip set. •
Brandon Jay McLaren as Beau Buckley (seasons 5–6), a dirty cop on Louie's payroll and a leading detective in the LAPD involved in the
C.R.A.S.H. unit, later became Louie's enforcer after being fired. • DeLaRosa Rivera as Eddie Perez (season 5), a detective in the LAPD and Buckley's partner. •
Tiffany Lonsdale as Parissa (seasons 5–6), an
Iranian surgeon and old acquaintance of Teddy. •
DeVaughn Nixon as Kane Hamilton (seasons 5–6), Kevin's OG older brother and a former shot caller for the Hoover Crips who, after being released from prison, plots revenge against The Family. • Nupeir L. Garret as Ricky (seasons 5–6), Kane's second-in-command. • Damien D. Smith as Top Notch (season 6; guest seasons 3–4), an old friend of Alton's and a private investigator with criminal connections. • Danielle Larracuente as Amanda Guerrero (season 6), a DEA agent and part of Marino's team. • Arsenio Castellanos as Oscar (season 6), a DEA agent and another member of Marino's team. •
Tamara Taylor as Cassandra Turner (season 6), Veronique's estranged mother and a
con-artist who works with her daughter to recover Franklin's stolen money.
Guest • Eric Mitro as Logan Miller (season 1), Alejandro's previous CIA connection who overdoses on cocaine. • Taylor Kowald as Kristen Grelli (season 1), Victoria's sister who is killed by Alejandro to cover loose ends. • Adam Karst as Muir (seasons 1–3, 5), another of Avi's two bodyguards. •
Becky O'Donohue as Mrs. Volpe (season 1), Rob's attractive mother. •
Mark Harelik as Arnold Tulfowitz (seasons 1, 3), Cissy's former employer and a corrupt real estate tycoon. •
Sheaun McKinney as Karvel (seasons 1, 3), a sadist, ruthless gangster and member of The HTB Western Tribe. •
Zabryna Guevara as Elena Usteves (seasons 1–2), Alejandro's wife and the leader of a Contra cell in Nicaragua. •
Bokeem Woodbine as Knees (season 1), an old friend of Jerome's and a former drug dealer. • Frank Merino as Guillermo "Memo" Mendoza (seasons 1–2), an enforcer for Los Monarcas. •
RZA as Swim (season 1), a drug dealer in
Oakland who teaches Franklin how to turn cocaine into crack. • Red Grant as Devon Hamilton (season 1), Kevin's cousin in Oakland and a member of an Outlaw Biker Club. •
Billy Boyd as Jim Stewart (season 1), a man Teddy and Victoria approach for his information about Kristen. • Stephanie Nash as Gladys Warren (seasons 1–2), Teddy's assistant at the CIA. •
Saundra Santiago (season 1) and
Adriana Barraza (season 3) as Mariela Villanueva, Lucia's mother and the matriarch of the Villanueva Cartel. • Manuel Uriza as Miguel Villanueva (seasons 2–3), Lucia's paternal uncle who is a
private investigator. •
Alanna Ubach as Gabriella Elias (season 2), the leader of La Fuerza, a high-ranking gang in the
Mexican Mafia. •
Kirk Baltz as Jim Volpe (season 2), Rob's father who is a
pornographic film director and customer to Avi. • Herve Clermont as Stern (seasons 2–6), a Detective in the
LAPD Homicide Division. • Nathan Davis Jr. as Delroy Hamilton (season 2), Kev's cousin and a new corner boy for the Family. •
Luke Tennie as Vic (season 2), Delroy's partner and a new corner boy for the Family. • Joy Brunson as Nia Jones (season 2), a social services worker who helps Alton get clean. • Tinpo Lee as Mr. Cho (season 2), a store owner and Franklin's old boss. • Kevin Jackson as Johnson Young (season 2), Franklin's lawyer for the murder case. •
C. S. Lee as William Han (season 2), an LA police officer who is the contact for the CIA, FBI, and DEA. •
WC as Dub C (season 2), one of Franklin's cellmates. • Hector Hugo as Muñoz Avilés (seasons 2–3), Stern's partner and a Detective in the LAPD Homicide Division. •
John Diehl as Colonel Robert McDonald (seasons 3–4, 6), Teddy and Matt's estranged father. • Sabina Zúñiga Varela as Nuvia Zapata (seasons 3–4), Hernan's stepwife. • Ariel Eliaz as Lior (seasons 3–4, 6), an enforcer for Avi's Crew, later took over the crew after Avi's death and has it out for Teddy following a gun incident that left him half-deaf. • Saidah Arrika Ekulona as Bernice Wright (seasons 3–4), Andre's sister and Melody's aunt. •
Kenneth Choi as Bobby "BobBob" Kim (season 3), a former CIA agent in Costa Rica who helps Teddy with supplying weapons to Nicaragua. • Jordan L. Jones as Bo (season 3), a small-time crack dealer and Wanda's supplier. • Vonii Bristow as Lamont (season 3), Bo's big-mouthed partner. •
David Warshofsky as Wells (season 3–4), Andre's superior and a captain in the police. • Brad Griffith as Roger Prentice (seasons 3–4), the Family's new prestigious lawyer. •
Denise Dowse as Mrs. Mosley (seasons 3–4), the owner of the local library in Franklin's neighborhood. • Lamont Thompson as LJ Mosley (seasons 3–4), Mrs. Mosley's ailing husband and co-owner of the library. •
Andrea Londo as Ximena (season 3), a Panamanian florist whom Franklin charms while on his trip with Avi. • Antonio Jaramillo as Oscar Fuentes (season 4), the corrupt police chief of the
Tijuana Police Department. •
Jesse Garcia as Carlos Lorca (season 4), one of the corrupt Tijuana police officers loyal to Fuentes. • Jeremiah Birkett as John Baxter (season 4), a homeless crack cocaine addict and single father at Alton's homeless shelter. • Joshua Caleb Johnson as Dwayne Baxter (season 4), John's teenage son who goes to Alton's shelter, later put into foster care after his father OD'd. •
Myndy Crist as Joanna Bird (season 4), Irene's former
Editor-in-chief at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. •
Brent Jennings as Henry Nelson (season 4), Irene's ex-husband and an independent journalist. •
Steven Williams as Paul Davis (seasons 4, 6), a real estate tycoon with political ties. • Karl T. Wright as Willy Childress (season 4), Paul Davis' right-hand man. • Troy Blendell as Charlie Cass (season 4), the acting Editor-in-Chief at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. • James Moses Black as Brother Jamal (season 4), the radio talk show host for CO-INTELPRO. • Nikiya Mathis as Candy (seasons 4–6), Louie's childhood friend, who becomes their connection in Little Rock. • Kris D. Lofton as Johnny (seasons 4–6), the husband of Louie's friend Candy. • Jamie Jones as
Len Bias (season 5), a promising college basketball player who overdoses on cocaine. •
David Sullivan as Grady Williamson (season 5), a CIA agent who replaces Teddy as the CIA plug. • Ethan Smart as Thad Brenner (season 5), Rob Volpe's junkie friend and member of the Family. • Benjamin Earl Turner as Maurice (seasons 5–6), an amateur rapper who lives in
the projects overseen by the PJ Watts Crips. • Steve Suh as Johnny B (season 5), Wanda's boss at the phone-sex hotline center. • Santiago Veizaga as Clever (season 5), a young gangbanger in
Bell Gardens. • Scytorya Rhodes as Chelle (season 5), a new dancer in Louie's club who is favored by Buckley. • Simeon Othello Daise as Mello (season 5), one of Skully's ambitious enforcers who wants to run the Inglewood Bloods. • Manuel Eduardo Ramirez as Tavio (season 5), Clevers father who is the leader of a Mexican gang who tries to rob Gustavo and Franklin. • Brennan Keel Cook as Oakley (season 5), a Vietnam War veteran and junkie and Peaches' associate. •
Rodney Saulsberry as Dr. Evans (season 5), a war veteran and doctor whom Jerome approaches while trying to find Peaches. •
Raymond J. Barry as Old Man James (season 5), an elderly man who collects hunting trophies and keeps a pet
tiger at his house in Bell Gardens. • Jon Root as William Cox (seasons 5–6), an accountant hired by Teddy to set up untraceable bank accounts. • Darin Cooper as Jacob (seasons 5–6), an undercover KGB agent in the United States and Rubén's handler. • McPratt Dadzie as Dodzi (season 6), Leon and Wanda's new friend in
Accra. •
Omar Dorsey as Clyde (season 6), an old friend of Jerome's who runs an auto repair shop. • Aaron Bledsoe as Todd (season 6), Kane's primary chemist in the crack cookhouse. •
Page Kennedy as Percy (season 6), a pimp who specializes in torturing people for information. •
Max Arciniega as Miguel Flores (season 6), a professional
locksmith hired by Franklin. ==Episodes==