Lamar inBMFis played by the British actor Eric Kofi-Abrefa, and you may recognize him from some of his other roles. With thefourth season ofBlack Mafia Familyconfirmed for Starz, we can feel satisfied knowing we’ll once again get to spend time with the fantastic cast of the American crime drama. One character that we sadly won’t get to see again is the erratically hilarious and disturbingly violent Lamar Silas, played byEric Kofi-Abefa, who has slowly been gaining steam as a popular actor, with some notable performances in recent years.
Lamar first appears in the pilot episode ofBMF, “See It… Touch It… Obtain It”. He’s fresh out of jail and already on the war path, warning everyone he comes into contact with that, “Lamar Silas is back in town.” Though he gets his violent end in the season 2 finale, Kofi-Abrefa managed to create a truly exciting and unique character in the 17 episodes he appeared in. Equal parts charming and frightening, Lamar showcases the best of Kofi-Abrefa’s talents, and people are starting to take notice of the emerging actor.
The British drama showSupacellisa superhero TV seriesthat premiered on Netflix in June 2024. The series is set in modern-day South London and follows five Black people whose families have a history of sickle cell disease, which leads to them unexpectedly developing superpowers. After finding one another, they work to put their powers to good use and avoid capture by a secret organization that wants to use their powers for nefarious purposes. Eric Kofi-Abrefa co-stars as Andre Simpson, a cash-strapped father who gains the power of super-strength.
The Book Of Clarence Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play
The Book of Clarence’s Jeymes Samuel put together a fantastic soundtrack, which features artists like Jay-Z, Doja Cat, Kodak Black, and more.
Andre’s story is a tragic one. After trying to use his powers to create a better life for his son, he’s soon coerced into hunting down people like him to protect his son. Though he eventually turns on his captors and joins the rest of the heroes in opposition to the organization that wielded him like a weapon, he still carries the burden of his actions. Koffi-Abrefa has the imposing nature to make a super-strong character feel threatening, but he also imbues Andre with so much hope and kindness that the audience never doubts his good intentions.
The Book of Clarenceis a 2023 historical satire semi-based on the biblical story of Jesus Christ. The film is directed by Jeymes Samuel and stars LaKeith Stanfield as the titular Clarence, along with an ensemble appearing as othercharacters taken from the Bible. One character who’s an original creation is Jedediah the Terrible, played by Eric Kofi-Abrefa. Jedediah is a loan shark to whom Clarence is indebted. What’s worse, Clarence is in love with Jedediah’s sister, Varinia (Anna Diop).
2021-2023
2024
2023
2021
Switcher
2019
Kofi-Abrefa is once again charming and dangerous in his role, just as he is inBMF. Jedediah is a dangerous individual, buthe also has a majesty and sense of honor that makes it hard to dislike him, even when he’s threatening to kill Clarence. He may be against Clarence, but he’s even more against the prejudiced Romans, and his switch to Clarence’s side would not be as crowd-pleasing if Kofi-Abrefa didn’t do such an excellent job, making him a striking and honorable character.
The British TV seriesThe Oneis anoriginal science fiction show for Netflixthat premiered in 2021 and is based on the 2016 novel by John Marrs' novel of the same name. In the show, a DNA researcher discovers a way to create the perfect romantic partner, and in doing so, she develops a novel matchmaking service. The service makes it so that everyone is predestined to fall in love with one specific person, regardless of the physical, societal, and cultural boundaries in the way.
Eric Kofi-Abrefa plays Mark Bailey, a relaxed and friendly journalist, and also Hannah’s (Lois Chimimba) husband. This is a much sweeter character than what Kofi-Abrefa usually plays, but he’s as charming as ever. Nervous and unsure at times, Mark allows Kofi-Abrefa to showcase another angle of his acting talent, one that’s not all ferocity and anger.
Blue Storyis an unusual mashup of musical and crime drama, directed by Rapman, the stage name of British musician Andrew Onwubolu. The story follows best friends, Marco (Micheal Ward) and Timmy (Stephen Odubola), who are from different areas of London. When a gang war breaks out between their respective neighborhoods, the former friends find themselves at odds. Eric Kofi-Abrefa plays Switcher, Marco’s older brother and the leader of their neighborhood gang, the Peckham Boys.
Kofi-Abrefa is adept at playing frightening characters, but with Switcher, he shows how he can also portray their insecurities and fears too.
Switcher, though not the main character, has a tragic and dramatic arc throughoutBlue Story. He shoots a man, avoids prison, is stabbed and put in a wheelchair, and eventually takes his own life with a drug overdose. It’s a complex character for Kofi-Abrefa to pull off, andhe manages to portray the anger, arrogance, and desperation of the character in equal measure. Kofi-Abrefa is adept at playing frightening characters, but with Switcher, he shows how he can also portray their insecurities and fears too.
Eric Kofi-Abrefa’s Other Notable Roles
Eric Kofi-Abrefa has only recently begun playing significant characters in TV shows and movies, with some notable TV roles including Sebastian Blair inTreadstone, Wesley Ndoyo inInformer, Noah Webster inHarlots, and Jamal Harrison inTom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. In movies, he’s had roles in small films likeWhite Widowas Ben andHERO Inspired by the Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr. Ulric Crossas Kofi Mensah. Before he began to be cast in bigger roles,Kofi-Abrefa did appear in some notable movies, though often in very minor roles.
Often as unnamed characters, Kofi-Abrefa appeared inJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,Snowden, andFury. He also had minor TV roles in shows likeSherlock,Humans, andHalo: Nightfall. Kofi-Abrefa is more than just the Lamar SilasBMFactor, and it’s a good bet that his star is only going to rise as he continues working.
