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So far, FX’s Fargo has been sweeping up awards nominations. While the series’ stellar script and amazing plot take a lot of the credit for this, you can’t discount the show’s incredible cast. While big-namers such as Kirsten Dunst, Ted Danson, and Patrick Wilson have given jaw-dropping performances, it’s Bokeem Woodbine’s portrayal of Mike Milligan that elevated Fargo from great to one of the best seasons of 2015 TV. If you’ve been watching, you already know who the memorable Milligan is. This poetry and philosophy loving assassin is a hired hand for the Kansas City company, and Milligan is just as violent, terrifying, and unforgettable as Season One’s Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thorton).
Woodbine has actually been around for a while, but it’s his most recent portrayal that has turned him into a sophisticated household name. If you want to know more about this powerful actor, we have you covered. Think of this as your rom-com “meet cute,” but instead of meeting the man or woman of your dreams, you’re meeting a heartless, immoral cog in the killing machine that is Fargo’s universe. Get ready to become obsessed with the multi-talented Bokeem Woodbine.
The Rock (1996)
Woodbine’s first noteworthy appearance was in The Rock, the Nicolas Cage action-thriller that covers nuclear warfare, SEAL teams, and disobedient soldiers. After the remaining marines realize they won’t be paid their $1 million apiece, mutiny strikes, and a lot of people end up dead. As the man ordered to secure General Hummel, Woodbine was one of those men, making his onscreen time short. However, he makes that time count, proving that he can play just as obedient and nervous as his Fargo counterpart never is.
The Sopranos, Season One Episode 10 (1999)
In the Season One episode, “A Hit Is a Hit,” Woodbine stars as rapper Massive Genius. Massive Genius sits down with Hesh, Tony, and Tony’s crew about taking Hesh’s music label to court, but you probably remember him from Tony’s disappointed comment, which touched on the irony of celebrities like Massive Genius being idolized as “gangsters.” Though his character only made an appearance for one episode, Woodbine channels a composed yet offended energy that makes the underlying racism of the scene that much more difficult to watch.
[Where to stream The Sopranos]
Ray (2004)
In this musical biopic of the legendary Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx), Woodbine plays David “Fathead” Newman, a musician who was one of the real Charles’ closest musical peers. The movie was criticized for its portrayal of Fathead, who in real life was soft-spoken and gentle instead of the crass junkie Woodbine plays in the film. But accurate or not, Woodbine does crass well.
Riddick (2013)
It doesn’t seem like Woodbine can last long in action movies. In the science-fiction action film Riddick, staring Vin Diesel as the titular character, Woodbine played Moss, a mercenary who is the group’s tech guy. This character also showed us Woodbine’s potential to play a darker character — someone who sees his teammates not as peers but as bait to get what he wants.
Fargo, Season Two (2015)
This year, Woodbine has killed both on screen and performance-wise in FX’s comedy crime thriller, Fargo. Though his character, Mike Milligan, kills very few people personally, his detached nature and the loyalty of his righthand men, the Kitchen brothers, made him a terrifying figure this season. However, as cruel as Milligan was, this character also often acted as the moral backbone of the series, using the beautiful quotes and poems he knows from heart to allude to the evil around him.
Milligan was the first one to point to the often-overt racism of the series’ characters and this time period as a whole, making his demise a painful one. Currently, Woodbine is nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series. Woodbine will be competing against costars Nick Offerman and Jesse Plemons for this one, but our money is on Mike Milligan. Keep being terrifyingly brilliant, Bokeem Woodbine.
