Atlanta has never been much of a commercial success, but it’s a critical darling that has long earned acclaim and awards recognition. Much of the cast were relative unknowns when the show premiered in 2016, but their strong work has turned them into movie and television stars.
Ever since the first season of Atlanta, the show’s cast has ballooned in popularity and can now be seen across the spectrum of entertainment. Some have done Oscar-worthy films, while others have done more mainstream movies meant to capture wide audiences. Regardless, they have all found some modicum of success.
Donald Glover: Community (2009-15)
Atlanta had one major thing going for it from the start, and that was Donald Glover. Glover was already very famous before creating, directing, writing, and starring in Atlanta, having been in the mainstream comedy scene since the mid-2000s.
Shortly after writing for 30 Rock, Glover began starring as Troy Barnes on Community. While some think he should return as Lando, others think that Community is his best work. It’s arguably his most famous role, as he embodied the character for 89 episodes and five years.
Brian Tyree Henry: Eternals (2021)
Brian Tyree Henry wasn’t well known before starring as Paper Boi, but now he’s a bonafide movie star. He has starred in the likes of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Widows, and Godzilla vs. Kong, but his most famous work can arguably be found within the MCU.
While Eternals wasn’t a major hit, Henry still earned acclaim for his performance as tech inventor Phastos. In fact, Henry has the distinction of playing the first openly gay character in the MCU.
LaKeith Stanfield: Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)
Of all the Atlanta stars, LaKeith Stanfield is the one who took his newfound career in an artistic direction. Stanfield has mostly eschewed popular, mainstream films in favor of more unique choices. Perhaps LaKeith Stanfield’s best movie came in 2021, when he starred as FBI informant Bill O’Neal in Judas and the Black Messiah.
The movie had the unfortunate distinction of releasing in the midst of the pandemic, but it still found a strong following on streaming. Stanfield also earned his first Academy Award nomination for his performance, but he lost to co-star Daniel Kaluuya.
Zazie Beetz: Joker (2019)
Zazie Beetz was an unknown before starring as Van on Atlanta, but she has used the acclaimed show to successfully springboard her movie career. Many of Zazie Beetz’ best movies also happen to be superhero films, as she has starred in the likes of Deadpool 2 and Joker.
While the former found a respectable amount of success, it was obviously the latter that made Beetz a movie star. Even though she had a small role in the film, its $1.074 billion gross means that many people now know her face and her status as a strong actress.
Lucius Baston: Lovecraft Country (2020)
Lucius Baston appeared in just one episode of Atlanta, but he left a strong impression. He plays the shady club promoter Chris who constantly (and hilariously) evades Earn and attempts to swindle him out of Paper Boi’s appearance fee.
Baston is a regular on television and has starred in numerous shows. Most recently, he found success playing Phil Hodges on HBO’s Lovecraft Country. He appeared in the first and fourth episodes of the show.
Alano Miller: Underground (2016-17)
Alano Miller plays Franklin Montague, the pretentious and outrage-inducing talk show host of his eponymous show. Montague hosts Paper Boi on his show and constantly grills him about his supposed misogyny, homophobia, and transphobic attitudes.
Shortly after starring as Montague, Miller found success on WGN America’s Underground. He plays a slave named Cato. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after two seasons and 20 episodes.
Austin Crute: Booksmart (2019)
Austin Crute’s role on the show is quite bizarre. In a role straight out of the best surrealist movies, Crute plays an African American version of Justin Bieber. Bieber’s personality and style of friendly pop music are exactly the same.
Shortly after appearing on Atlanta, Crute landed the role of Alan in the critically acclaimed coming-of-age comedy-drama Booksmart. It was widely regarded as one of the best movies of 2019.
Katt Williams: Friday After Next (2002)
Katt Williams was a recipient of one of Atlanta’s many awards. His performance as Willie was widely praised, and he was awarded a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. It was Williams’s first major acting award.
He is primarily known as a stand-up comedian, but Williams has starred in many movies throughout his long career. He made his film debut in 2002, playing Money Mike in Friday After Next. This stoner comedy was the third in the Friday series and grossed $30 million at the box office.
Isiah Whitlock Jr.: The Wire (2002-08)
Isiah Whitlock Jr. had a small role in the first season of Atlanta, playing Earn’s father Raleigh Marks. Whitlock is a well-established name in Hollywood, being a frequent collaborator of acclaimed director Spike Lee.
He also has a starring role as senator Clay Davis in The Wire, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows ever made. Davis appeared in all five seasons of the acclaimed show and earned instant popularity for his unique uttering of profanity.
Khris Davis: The Blacklist (2013-)
Khris Davis was a new addition to the Atlanta cast, having joined as the loud and belligerent Tracy. While Tracy was a fun addition to the show, he was also incredibly unlikable. He and Earn often clashed with each other, and it culminated in a brutal beating at the side of the road.
Davis is a relative newcomer to acting and hadn’t done much prior to Atlanta. Following his run of episodes, Davis landed the role of Agent Randolph on two episodes of NBC’s popular crime thriller The Blacklist.
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