Bokeem Woodbine to Move the Violence from “Fargo” to South Central LA

Mike Milligan moves west.
Film + TV
Bokeem Woodbine to Move the Violence from “Fargo” to South Central LA

Mike Milligan moves west.

Words: FLOOD Staff

photo by Chris Large/FX

January 27, 2016

FARGO — “The Myth of Sisyphus” — Episode 203 (Airs October 26, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: (l-r) Brad Mann as Gale Kitchen, Bokeem Woodbine as Mike Milligan, Todd Mann as Wayne Kitchen. CR: Chris Large/FX

When we talked to Bokeem Woodbine about how he prepared for his role as Mike Milligan in season two of Fargo (a show we enjoyed thoroughly), he told us about coming of age in the era of Reagan era. “Having been a young man in the ’80s, it was like a splash of cold water in the face when government programs and subsidies and certain types of humanitarian sensibilities were replaced by an almost megalomaniacal corporate mentality,” he said.

While Fargo‘s second season is meant to presage those changes, Woodbine’s new project reflects the reality they left in their past. As The A. V. Club reports, he’s signed on for A&E’s forthcoming series about the LA Riots of 1992, The Infamous. Woodbine plays a record producer and former gang member whose attempts to break out of the neighborhood are opposed by a vengeful member of the LAPD. We can’t imagine where the man who made his name running from Minnesota and North Dakota cops will find the inspiration, but we’ll leave it up to him.

The Infamous is not Woodbine’s first foray into the world of music, either. In addition to playing a gang-banger in TLC‘s “Waterfalls” video, he also pops up in Wu-Tang Clan‘s “Gravel Pit” and “Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)” videos, as well as Tupac Shakur‘s “I Ain’t Mad at Cha” clip.