The following is a list of characters from the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

television show ''

Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter and broadcast on the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and ...

''. The show dramatizes the prohibition era in

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

and the early history of the

American Mafia The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group. The organization is often referred to by its membe ...

. Many of the characters on the show are fictional. Some are (loosely) based on historical figures; of these, some use the name of the person upon which they are based, while others have had their names changed for the program.

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

Main characters

Enoch "Nucky" Thompson

Steve Buscemi Steven Vincent Buscemi ( ,As stated in interviews by Buscemi himself, some may insist that his pronunciation of his own name is "wrong" because it does not match the original Italian pronunciation as well. It is not uncommon for people to pronou ...

portrays Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the corrupt treasurer of Atlantic County and its most powerful political figure. The character is based on

Enoch L. Johnson Enoch Lewis "Nucky" Johnson (January 20, 1883December 9, 1968) was an Atlantic City, New Jersey, political boss, a sheriff of Atlantic County, New Jersey, a businessman and a crime boss who was the leader of the political machine that controlle ...

James "Jimmy" Darmody

Michael Pitt portrays James "Jimmy" Darmody (seasons 1–2), a former Princeton student who served in World War I. After returning home, Jimmy is hired by Nucky Thompson as his driver. The character is based on

Jimmy Boyd Jimmy Devon Boyd (January 9, 1939 – March 7, 2009) was an American singer, musician, and actor known for his 1952 recording of the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". Early years Jimmy Boyd was born in 1939 Mississippi into a musical fam ...

Margaret Thompson

Kelly Macdonald portrays Margaret Thompson (formerly Schroeder, née Rohan), a young Irish widow and mother, she turns to Nucky for help and eventually becomes his lover and later, his wife. The character is based on Florence Osbeck.

Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller

Michael Shannon portrays Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller, a former Prohibition agent on the run after the murder of his former partner. Under the alias George Mueller, he inadvertently gets caught up in the conflict between Dean O'Banion and Al Capone. The character is based on William Frank.

Elias "Eli" Thompson

Shea Whigham portrays Elias "Eli" Thompson, Nucky's younger brother and former sheriff of Atlantic County. The character is based on Alfred "Alf" Johnson.

Angela Darmody

Aleksa Palladino portrays Angela Darmody (seasons 1–2), Jimmy's wife and the mother of his young son.

Arnold Rothstein

Michael Stuhlbarg portrays Arnold Rothstein (seasons 1–4), a powerful and intelligent New York gangster who enters into business with Nucky.

Al Capone

Stephen Graham Stephen Joseph Graham (born 3 August 1973) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in the film ''This Is England'' (2006) and its television sequels ''This Is England '86'' (2010), '' This Is England '88'' ( ...

portrays Al Capone, a low-level Chicago gangster with ambitions of leading the Chicago mob.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano

Vincent Piazza portrays Charles "Lucky" Luciano, a Sicilian-American gangster and close associate of Rothstein.

Lucy Danziger

Paz de la Huerta María de la Paz Elizabeth Sofía Adriana de la Huerta y Bruce (; born September 3, 1984), known professionally as Paz de la Huerta, is an American actress and model. She had roles in the films ''The Cider House Rules'' (1999) and ''A Walk to Re ...

portrays Lucy Danziger (seasons 1–2), Nucky's mistress and a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer.

Albert "Chalky" White

Michael Kenneth Williams Michael Kenneth Williams (November 22, 1966 – September 6, 2021) was an American actor. He rose to fame in 2002 through his critically acclaimed role as Omar Little on the HBO drama series ''The Wire''. He has been described as a "singular pre ...

portrays Albert "Chalky" White, Nucky's counterpart in Atlantic City's black community.

Edward "Eddie" Kessler

Anthony Laciura Anthony Laciura (born September 27, 1951) is an American actor and operatic tenor. Laciura is often noted for his abilities as a comprimario, and actor. Born in New Orleans, he studied voice there with Charles Paddock, also the teacher of Ticho ...

portrays Edward "Eddie" Kessler, Nucky's German personal assistant and valet. The character is based on Louis Kessel.

Mickey Doyle

Paul Sparks portrays Mickey Doyle, an Atlantic City bootlegger. The character is based on

Mickey Duffy Michael "Mickey" Duffy (born William Michael Cusick; 1888 - August 30, 1931) -- also known as John Murphy and George McEwen -- was a Polish-American mobster and rival of Maxie "Boo Boo" Hoff during Prohibition. He became one of the most famous ...

Louis Kaestner

Dabney Coleman (seasons 1–2) and John Ellison Conlee (season 5) portray Commodore Louis Kaestner, Nucky's mentor and predecessor in Atlantic City, Jimmy's biological father. The character is based on

Louis Kuehnle Louis Kuehnle, (; December 25, 1857 – August 6, 1934), known as "Commodore Kuehnle," was an American businessman and politician of German descent. He is considered a pioneer in the growing resort town of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the late 1 ...

Richard Harrow

Jack Huston Jack Alexander Huston (born 7 December 1982) is a British actor. He appeared as Richard Harrow in the HBO television drama series '' Boardwalk Empire''. He also had a supporting role in the 2013 film '' American Hustle'', portrayed the eponym ...

portrays Richard Harrow (seasons 1–4), a former Army marksman who allies with Jimmy and later Nucky. Disfigured during the war, he wears a mask over half of his face.

Gillian Darmody

Gretchen Mol Gretchen Mol (born November 8, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She is known for her role as Gillian Darmody in the HBO series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). She also appeared in the films ''Rounders'' (1998), ''Celebrity'' ...

portrays Gillian Darmody, Jimmy's mother and an old friend of Nucky's. She is also Luciano's former lover.

Owen Sleater

Charlie Cox portrays Owen Sleater (seasons 2–3), an Irish immigrant and IRA member. He has an affair with Margaret, while working his way up in Nucky's organization.

Gyp Rosetti

Bobby Canavale Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in ''Third Watch'', ''Vinyl'', and ''Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in ''Will & Grace'', which wo ...

portrays Gyp Rosetti (season 3), a Sicilian gangster backed by Joe Masseria, who challenged Nucky.

Roy Phillips

Ron Livingston portrays Roy Phillips (season 4), a wealthy out-of-town businessman who finds himself getting involved with Gillian Darmody.

Dr. Valentin Narcisse

Jeffrey Wright Jeffrey Wright (born December 7, 1965) is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Belize in the Broadway production of ''Angels in America'', for which he would win a Tony Award, and its HBO miniseries adaptation, for which he would ...

portrays Dr. Valentin Narcisse (seasons 4–5), a Harlem racketeer who challenges Chalky. The character is based on

Casper Holstein Casper Holstein (December 7, 1876 – April 5, 1944) was a prominent New York mobster involved in the Harlem " numbers rackets" during the Harlem Renaissance. Early life His birth name was Egbert Joseph and changed his name in honor of his ma ...

William "Willie" Thompson

Kevin Csolak (season 3) and

Ben Rosenfield Ben Rosenfield is an American actor and musician, best known for playing Willie Thompson on the fourth and fifth seasons of HBO's period crime drama series ''Boardwalk Empire'' (2013–2014). His first role was in the Off-Broadway stage adaptati ...

(seasons 4–5) portray William "Willie" Thompson, Eli's oldest son and Nucky's nephew who becomes an assistant U.S. Attorney in New York City.

Recurring characters

Introduced in season one

* Anatol Yusef portrays Meyer Lansky, a young protégé of Rothstein and partners with Luciano. The character is based on Meyer Lansky. * Greg Antonacci portrays Johnny Torrio, Capone's boss in Chicago. * Enid Graham portrays Rose Van Alden (seasons 1–2), Nelson's ex-wife. *

Tom Aldredge Thomas Ernest Aldredge (February 28, 1928 – July 22, 2011) was an American television, film and stage actor. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for playing the role of Shakespeare in ''Henry Winkler Meets William Shakespeare'' (1978). His Broadway ...

(seasons 1–2) and Ian Hart (season 5) portray Ethan Thompson, Nucky and Eli's father. The character is based on Smith E. Johnson. *

Dana Ivey Dana Robins Ivey (born August 12, 1941) is an American actress. She is a five-time Tony Award nominee for her work on Broadway, and won the 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her work in both ''Sex and Longing' ...

portrays Mrs. McGarry (season 1), a prominent leader of the Women's Suffrage and Temperance Movements. The character is based on Susan B. Anthony. *

Anna Katarina Anna Katarina is a Swiss actress. Early life and family Anna Katarina is the daughter of cellists from Bern, Switzerland, where she was born. She is a classically trained pianist. Career She came to the US in her twenties whereupon she join ...

portrays Isabelle Jeunet (seasons 1, 3), a French woman who owns an ''

haute couture ''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...

'' shop on the boardwalk. * Johnnie Mae portrays Louanne Pratt (season 1), Commodore Kaestner's maid. *

Erik Weiner Erik Weiner is an American actor, writer, comedian, and producer best known for co-creating the play '' The Bomb-itty of Errors'' and his role as Agent Sebso on HBO's '' Boardwalk Empire''. Career In 1999, he co-created and starred in '' The Bo ...

portrays Agent Sebso (season 1), Van Alden's partner. * Lisa Joyce portrays Mary Dittrich (season 1), a photographer's assistant and Angela Darmondy's lover. * Emily Meade portrays Pearl (season 1), a prostitute and Jimmy Darmody's lover. * Kevin O'Rourke portrays

Edward L. Bader Edward Lawrence Bader (June 8, 1874 – January 29, 1927) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey for much of the Roaring Twenties, when the city was arguably at the peak of its popularity as a vacation sp ...

, the Atlantic City mayor. * Robert Clohessy portrays James Neary (seasons 1–4), one of Nucky's political cronies and ward bosses. * Christopher McDonald portrays

Harry M. Daugherty Harry Micajah Daugherty (; January 26, 1860 – October 12, 1941) was an American politician. A key Ohio Republican political insider, he is best remembered for his service as Attorney General of the United States under Presidents Warren G. Hardin ...

(seasons 1–2), a U.S. Attorney General.

Introduced in season two

* Dominic Chianese (seasons 2–4) and Jordan Lage (season 5) portray Leander Cephas Whitlock, an Atlantic City lawyer and ally to the Commodore. * Julianne Nicholson portrays Esther Randolph (seasons 2–4), an Assistant Attorney General who investigates Nucky for election fraud. The character is based on

Mabel Walker Willebrandt Mabel Walker Willebrandt (May 23, 1889 – April 6, 1963), popularly known to her contemporaries as the First Lady of Law, was a U.S. Assistant Attorney General from 1921 to 1929, handling cases concerning violations of the Volstead Act, federal ...

. * William Forsythe portrays Manny Horvitz (seasons 2–3), a Philadelphia gangster. * Erik LaRay Harvey portrays Dunn Purnsley (seasons 2–4), a career criminal and later Chalky's second-in-command. * Glenn Fleshler portrays

George Remus George Remus (November 13, 1878 – January 20, 1952) was a German-born American lawyer who was a bootlegger during the early days of Prohibition, and later murdered his wife Imogene. Early life Remus was born in Landsberg, Germany, in 187 ...

(seasons 2–4), a major bootlegger based in Ohio who refers to himself in the third-person. * Heather Lind portrays Katy (seasons 2–3), Margaret's housemaid and Owen's lover. * Ivo Nandi portrays Joe Masseria (seasons 2–5), an Italian bootlegger.

Introduced in season three

* Meg Steedle portrays Billie Kent (season 3), a young Broadway actress who begins an affair with Nucky. Killed in an explosion meant for Nucky. The character is based on Billie Dove. * Stephen Root portrays Gaston Means (seasons 3–4), a con artist, FBI agent, and "fixer" for bootleggers. *

James Cromwell James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American actor and activist. Some of his best-known films include ''Babe'' (1995), '' Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996), ''L.A. Confidential'' (1997), '' The Green Mile'' (1999), ''The Queen'' ...

portrays Andrew Mellon (seasons 3–4), the Secretary of the Treasury. *

Wrenn Schmidt Melinda Wrenn Schmidt (born February 18, 1983) is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as NASA engineer, flight director and later Director of NASA Margo Madison in the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama serie ...

portrays Julia Sagorsky (seasons 3–4), Richard's wife.

Introduced in season four

* Patricia Arquette portrays Sally Wheet (seasons 4–5), a Speak-easy owner in Tampa, Florida * Domenick Lombardozzi portrays

Ralph Capone Ralph James Capone (; born Raffaele James Capone, ; January 12, 1894 – November 22, 1974) was an Italian-American Chicago mobster and an older brother of Al Capone and Frank Capone. He got the nickname "Bottles" not from involvement in the C ...

(seasons 4–5), Al Capone's brother. * Morgan Spector portrays Frank Capone (season 4), Al Capone's level-headed brother. * Brian Geraghty portrays James "Jim" Tolliver (season 4), an FBI agent under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover posing as a corrupt prohibition agent under the name Warren Knox in Atlantic City. *

Margot Bingham Margot Bingham is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is best known for her role as jazz singer Daughter Maitland in the HBO period drama series, ''Boardwalk Empire''. In 2015, Bingham began starring as one of lead characters in the AB ...

portrays Daughter Maitland (seasons 4–5), a singer and ward of Dr. Valentin Narcisse who begins an affair with Chalky White.

Introduced in season five

Paul Calderon Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

portrays Arquimedes (season 5), Nucky Thompson's personal bodyguard. *

Travis Tope Travis Tope (born November 11, 1991) is an American film and television actor, known for playing Chris Truby in the film '' Men, Women and Children'', Nick Strain in ''The Town That Dreaded Sundown'', Joe Harper/Tommy Darmody in the series '' Bo ...