PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN SINCLAIR 
FASHION EDITOR DAVIAN LAIN
INTERVIEW DAVID GARGIULO

Harlem’s daughter, Ilfenesh Hadera, grew up on the storied streets of the iconic New York neighborhood, where history and culture collide, and every corner echoes with resilience, artistry, and perseverance. Her childhood was shaped not only by the rhythm of the city but by the extraordinary work of her parents, who founded the African Services Committee to support African immigrants. She watched firsthand how dedication could transform lives and ripple across communities, learning early that no one succeeds alone and that collaboration is the foundation of meaningful work.

Today, as an actress whose roles span Godfather of Harlem, Spike Lee films, and transformative storytelling, Ilfenesh channels those lessons into every performance. “With Godfather of Harlem, so many people have thanked me for portraying Mayme Johnson. I’ll be walking in my neighborhood, and women will stop me and say, ‘Thank you for showing us in such a beautiful light.’ That’s incredibly moving,” she says.

In her latest work, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, she embodies Pam King, a woman navigating the nuanced hierarchies of family, morality, and society in New York City. The film’s exploration of hierarchy and social tension mirrors the lessons she learned at home: understanding others and working collaboratively are vital, whether in a nonprofit or in storytelling.

Ilfenesh Hadera’s path from Harlem to Hollywood is more than a career; it is a testament to the power of heritage, resilience, and empathy. Her roles honor her roots while shaping a future where stories reflect real people, real communities, and real complexity. With Highest 2 Lowest, she expands that legacy, illuminating the human experience with nuance, warmth, and the quiet authority of someone who knows where she comes from, and why it matters.

This interview has been edited for clarity and flow.

David Gargiulo __ Growing up in Harlem, with your mother and father’s very important work at the African Services Committee, what lessons from your childhood still guide you today?

Ilfenesh Hadera __ I’m often asked to draw parallels between the work my parents did at the African Services Committee and my work as an actor, and honestly, I find it difficult. Their work directly impacted the clients and the community they served. It feels almost impossible to compare my career in entertainment to their years of service. But recently I was talking to a nurse at a hospital. She overheard me talking about an audition and said, “Oh, you’re an actress? I always wanted to act, but I realized I couldn’t sing or dance, so here I am as a nurse.” And I said, “Well, you’re doing the real work.” She laughed and said, “Yeah, but when people need an outlet, they turn on the TV and look for entertainment.” That gave me a perspective I hadn’t really considered before. Looking back at my parents’ work, one thing that absolutely shaped me is the understanding that no one does it alone. No man is an island. In both my parents’ nonprofit and in my industry, it takes so many people working together to make something happen. No one person is more important than another. You have to appreciate what everyone brings. And then, of course, work ethic. Watching my parents work tirelessly for what they believed in showed me the importance of persistence. That definitely gave me a strong foundation when I went into theater and acting.

DG __ Do you think that sense of responsibility and your upbringing shows in the message you want to give as an artist in your work and the projects you choose?

IH __ I think so. The hope is always to uplift, to show the community in a positive light. But of course, not every project lends itself to that; different stories have different purposes. With Godfather of Harlem, so many people have thanked me for my portrayal of Mayme Johnson. I’ll be walking in my neighborhood, because I still live in Harlem, and women will stop me and say, “Thank you for showing us in such a beautiful light.” That’s incredibly moving. It’s such a gift that the character resonates that way. 

DG __ Do you have any memories from your early life in Harlem that you revisit when you need inspiration?

IH __ Absolutely. When I first read the script for Godfather of Harlem, I remember thinking within just a few pages, “Oh my God! I know this woman.” Mayme felt like the women I grew up around. I thought of the older Harlemites who had been in the neighborhood since the twenties and thirties. They’d walk down my block in their Sunday best, heading to one of the four churches within a few blocks of my childhood home. They were always so stylish, so composed, so classy but also firm, strong, and resilient. These were women who had lived through America as Black women in the thirties, forties, fifties, sixties. They had thick skin, but carried themselves with such grace and warmth. I modeled Mayme after them. They became my well of inspiration for the character.

DG __ Your career spans genres: action, drama, horror, prestige TV. How do you decide which projects resonate with you?

IH __ I’m definitely cast more in dramatic roles. Even in comedies, I tend to be the straight-laced, reserved one, not the “funny” one. I’d love to explore that side more, maybe a little wacky, off-kilter humor.

DG __ Speaking of dramatic roles, with their emotional demand or physical transformation, do you have techniques or memories you return to when preparing?

IH __ Each project, even each scene, really demands different techniques. Some actors use music to evoke emotion before a scene. I work through the script, focusing on specific words that carry deep meaning or resonance for me. For example, in Godfather of Harlem’s third season, there’s a scene where I talk about being barren and why I never had children. The word joy in that scene became my anchor. Every time I needed to hit that emotional mark, I’d focus on that word. But sometimes the tool isn’t a word; it’s about being available in the moment. It could be a sound in the room, a smell, or even the look of a leather jacket that reminds you of a lost love. Real technique is openness and using whatever’s around you to transport yourself to the right emotional place. It probably sounds a little crazy. There was this scene last season, where I was full of guilt over something I’d done, and Bumpy, Forest Whitaker's character, confronts me. There was a whistling sound in the room, it could have been a fan or something else, but it reminded me of being alone in the world. Every time I needed to access that feeling, I thought of that lonely whistling. Strange, right?

DG __ Not at all. Drawing from the environment to inhabit a role makes complete sense.

IH __ Exactly! Letting your imagination take over, letting what’s around you guide your emotions. That’s the challenge and the gift. We spend so much of our lives focused on what’s in front of us, but as artists, we need to open our imagination and see what’s available.

DG __ This is the fifth time you’re working with Spike Lee, how did his direction influence the way you approached Pam King in Highest 2 Lowest? 

IH __ He’s a very hands-off director when it comes to characters, their emotional lives and choices. He gives broad, general notes, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes you want more guidance, but he casts a wide net and lets you find your way. Before we started filming, he told me, “She’s got to be different from your character in Godfather of Harlem.” That’s pretty general, of course, but it’s a reminder: this is a new character, in a new world. It’s up to you to figure out how to make her unique.

DG __ I like that. He makes you do the work. He makes you own the character.

IH __ Exactly. You really have to feel the character instead of being told how to. Spike Lee is specific when it comes to blocking or the shots he wants. You can always tell when it’s a “Spike joint.” But when it comes to the artist’s relationship to their character, it’s very much in your hands.

DG __ Speaking of a “Spike joint,” watching the film, I felt a real sense of cinematic nostalgia in the shots of New York City. In your opinion, how does the film capture the energy, diversity, and complexity of New York in a way that resonates today?

IH __ The drone shot of Brooklyn sparkling in the morning, with the opening song from Oklahoma!, was incredible. So was Spike’s orange-and-blue tribute to the Knicks. People often talk about New York being its own character in film, I like to think specifically of it as the best supporting character, because it supports your story going in so many incredible, maybe unconventional directions. Compare it as a backdrop to a small town, for example, the possibilities for your art become limited by the parameters set by your location. New York is everything and nothing at once. It’s a blank canvas filled with infinite possibilities. The sights, the sounds, the history. It all gives you room to build your story. Where else could Eddie Palmieri and his orchestra be playing during a chase scene? Only in the Bronx. It opens up the world in a way that’s really hard to replicate.

DG __ The film explores themes such as class, power, and morality. How did you navigate the social tensions in your portrayal of Pam, and what do you hope audiences take away about these issues?

IH __ Well, there’s certainly a hierarchy within the King household. I don’t know if you picked up on it, but you see how Pam, her husband, and her son live, and then you see Paul Christopher, Jeffrey Wright’s character, staying in a small room in their gigantic penthouse. Even within that little family unit, there’s a clear hierarchy. I had, maybe, an easier job navigating it than Denzel [Washington]’s character, because he’s the head of the household. You really see him grappling with being the boss, the friend, the person everyone looks to for support, while also keeping a business afloat. He’s the provider and the leader but also wants to be an equal. He has to balance everything. Pam, on the other hand, has the luxury of not having to make those kinds of calls. She can be warm, supportive, loving, and maternal. She doesn’t have to expose her thorns the way David King does.

DG __ Spike Lee is known for pushing actors to explore truths about themselves through their characters. Can you share a moment when that happened for you?

IH __ A truth about myself… I really like Cartier bracelets. [laughs] I was very sad to retire from Pam and return the bracelet!

DG __ [laughs] That’s a great answer. Definitely going in the quotes!

IH __ [laughs] Timing was good. Off the cuff, right? Cast me in the next comedy, come on. I’ll give you 10% if I get my next gig in comedy after this interview.

DG __ [laughs] I’ll hold you to that! Was there a scene from the movie that stayed with you emotionally or artistically?

IH __ The garage scene, when we were reunited with Trey. I found something in the moments before the cameras started rolling that I’ll add to my tool belt. I was worried about that scene and am really grateful that I found something that allowed me the kind of emotional access I needed.

DG __ What allowed you to nail it? 

IH __ I’d never say that I “nailed” a scene but finding something that served that scene in the moment felt like an artistic accomplishment. My dad had just been diagnosed with stage-four cancer while we were filming that scene. Tapping into that hurt, respectfully, allowed me to channel the depth needed for the scene. You have moments in life that can shatter you, but there’s a part of you that says, “This can enrich me as an artist.” The more experiences, good and bad, you have, the better actor you become. Not capitalizing on tragedy, but finding some use for the pain. That’s what I found in that moment: permission to use the bad things for something meaningful in my work.

DG __ Thank you for opening up about that and I’m very sorry you went through such a difficult experience. Are there other creative avenues or causes you’re exploring outside of acting?

IH __ Lately, my most creative outlet has been cooking. Acting is often about waiting for someone to give you a job, so in the meantime, I look for ways to feel creative and fulfilled. Cooking gives me both peace and purpose, and it’s very time-consuming, so it’s a good way to fill that interim. Also, after losing my dad in February, I’ve been trying to keep his organization afloat in his absence. He was a force of nature. So much energy and drive and I don’t necessarily have that same gene. It’s been a challenge to keep things running, but thankfully we have dedicated people in Ethiopia keeping the work moving.

DG __ I’m glad you have such a strong support network. And with cooking, what are you good at?

IH __ I’m a big recipe follower. I like direction, which probably comes from being an actor. I don’t freestyle much. But the New York Times cooking app has been amazing. I’ve probably made fifty recipes. I do stews, pastas, and lots of vegeterian dishes.

DG __ Any thoughts of opening a restaurant in the future?

IH __ [laughs] I don’t think I could handle a full kitchen. It’s too high stress. But I do have a small share in a French restaurant on the Upper East Side called Chez Fifi. A year ago, some friends brought me in because I loved one of their other restaurants. It’s doing really well; it’s become a hotspot, and getting a reservation can be tough!

DG __ Wow! You’ve been keeping busy, between your acting career, running your father’s organization, and investing in hospitality. That’s impressive, congratulations! Last question. What stories do you think are missing from film and television right now, and why do you want to tell them?

IH __ I’d love to see stories about groups of friends or communities portrayed in a way that reflects real diversity. I was just watching a show recently, and it made me think: in so many shows, no one looks like my group of friends, Black, White, Mexican, African, all completely different physically, doing different things in life. Some are nerds, some are glamorous, some are married, some are serial daters. I want to see diverse people connecting on a human level. We see shows about groups of White friends or all Black casts, but that’s not the world we’re living in anymore. I don’t get why creators still think people wouldn’t relate to a motley crew of men and women who just understand each other on a human level.

DG __ Love that. So it would have to be set in New York City too, right?

IH __ Absolutely! [laughs] It wouldn’t be realistic anywhere else!

Photographer Kevin Sinclair, Fashion Editor DaVian Lain, Interviewer David Gargiulo, Hair Ursula Stephens (A-Frame Agency), Makeup Yumi Mori (Kalpana) using Make Up For Ever, Photo Assistant Anna Istomina, Stylist Assistant Megan Hollis, Hair Assistants Gabrielle Hinton, Ariana Greene, Talent Ilfenesh Hadera (Wolf | Kasteler PR)

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