When the final season of the HBO hit The Sopranos aired in 2007, the void in the TV landscape needed to be filled with an equally compelling and entertaining series. Enter: Boardwalk Empire. Debuting in 2010, Boardwalk Empire was a crime drama set during prohibition-ear Atlantic City. With Steve Buscemi leading the show as Nucky Thompson, Terence Winter of The Sopranos' fame as the show’s creator, and Martin Scorsese not only directing the pilot but also serving as one of the executive producers, the show became an unbridled hit.
The series lasted 5 seasons and won multiple awards before finally ending in 2014 with a bang (literally, with the gun shot death of Thompson…spoiler alert.) Since the series ended, many of the cast have gone on to have quite successful careers. While the show featured established stars such as Jefferey Wright and the aforementioned Buscemi, which of the stars from the show were the largest to emerge? Funny, you should ask. Let’s take a look, shall we?
8 Michael Pitt
Michael Pitt portrayed Jimmy Darmody, a veteran of World War 1 and Nucky Thompson’s possible successor. Lasting only 2 seasons before being killed by Thompson, Darmody’s death was met with both shock and sadness by fans of the show. After leaving Boardwalk, Pitt would show up on the second season of the NBC series Hannibal as Mason Verger before leaving the show. A slew of other film and TV projects would follow, such as the Scarlett Johansson adaptation of Ghost in the Shell and the horror miniseries Lisey's Story.
7 Michael K. Williams
Having a hefty film and TV career long before appearing as “Chalky” White (being featured most prominently on The Wire), Michael Williams appeared in all 5 seasons of Boardwalk and was one of the standout stars of the show. His career post-Boardwalk included appearances in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot/remake, Assassin’s Creed and TV projects such as Lovecraft Country. Sadly, Michael left us in 2021, passing due to drug overdose in Brooklyn, the same borough where he was born.
6 Jack Huston
Jack Huston has been appearing in both big and small screen projects since the mid-2000s; however, the Brit was featured most prominently as the disabled WW1 vet Richard Harrow on the HBO hit. Huston would next be featured as Pete Musane in American Hustle alongside Christian Bale, Bradly Cooper, and Jennifer Lawrence, The Irishman directed by Martin Scorsese, and, most recently, House of Gucci. It’s also worth noting that Huston has quite the family lineage.
5 Kelly Macdonald
After portraying Margaret Schroeder, the eventual wife of Nucky Thompson, on Boardwalk, Kelly Macdonald would be featured in series such as Black Mirror. Over on the big screen, Macdonald would lend her voice to bring Princess Merida to life in the Pixar’s Brave and would reprise her role as Diane Coulston in the sequel to Trainspotting (the original Trainspotting was also Macdonald’s film debut) before returning to the UK where she has spent most of her career.
4 Shea Whigham
Shea Whigham became famous for portraying Nucky Thompson’s younger brother, Eli Thompson. However, Whigham would go on to be featured in myriad films and high-profile TV roles. Shows such as True Detective and far too many films to name, but here’s a few: American Hustle with fellow Boardwalk cast member Jack Huston, Fast and Furious 6, Kong: Skull Island, Star Trek Beyond, and Joker to name a few.
3 Stephen Graham
Stephen Graham’s career before landing the career changing role of Al Capone on Boardwalk was quite extensive. However, after bringing the notorious Chicago mobster to life on the series, Graham would be featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (reprising his role as Scrum), Hellboy, The Irishman (with Jack Huston), and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Graham’s most prominent TV role since being featured on Boardwalk is that of Hayden Stagg on Peaky Blinders.
2 Michael Shannon
While Michael Shannon had been working steadily in Hollywood since the early '90s, making his film debut in Groundhog Day (he’s the young man who is gifted WrestleMania tickets by Bill Murray), the Academy Award-nominated actor would experience a new level of fame after portraying Detective Nelson Van Alden a.k.a. George Mueller on the show. Popping up as General Zod in the 2013 DCEU launching film Man of Steel, Nocturnal Animals, The Shape of Water, and the action comedy Bullet Train with Brad Pitt. Shannon is set to reprise his role as Zod in the upcoming Flash film.
1 Charlie Cox
Charlie Cox first showed up in the second season of Boardwalk, portraying Owen Sleater. After Sleater’s death (which was one of the saddest of the show), Cox would go on to star as the crime fighter by night, lawyer by day superhero Daredevil in the MCU. As for what Cox has been working on since his Daredevil days, Cox appeared in several British as well as American projects before making a cameo as Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home. For those who are fans of his portrayal of Daredevil (there are many) Cox will reprise his role in upcoming MCU projects.
