The Drop: A Snowfall Saga Cast: Meet the Stars of FX’s Snowfall Spinoff

Gail Bean reprises her role as Wanda Bell in the spinoff. Bell is “newly sober, sharp, and driven by her belief that music can save her cousin Lamar the way it once saved her. Having survived the damage of the crack era, she uses instinct, charm, and grit to open doors never meant for her.” Bean has previously starred in Both Eyes Open, Unexpected, P-Valley, Paradise Lost, Test Pattern, among other projects. 

Isaiah John steps back into the shoes of Leon Simmons, Wanda’s former romantic partner. Simmons “believes in Wanda but fears the cost of chasing dreams in a world where Black ambition can be dangerous.” John’s notable credits include All Day and a Night, Downsized, Barbershop: The Next Cut, and Standing Up. 

The Drop is introducing many new characters, and Lamar Kinsey, played by Asante Blackk, is one of them. Lamar is described as a “nerd in the hood” and a “musical prodigy whose sensitivity makes him both gifted and vulnerable. Protected yet constrained by family, Lamar is pulled between safety and self-expression as his growing talent attracts danger.” Fans may know Blackk from Landscape with Invisible Hand, When They See Us, Story Ave, This Is Us, and Social Distance. 

Peyton Alex Smith joins the series as James Kinsey, Lamar’s older brother. His character description reads: “A former gangbanger trying to live clean, he understands violence in a way Lamar never can.” Alex Smith is best known for starring in All American, The Quad, Tex Brown, Legacies, and BMF. 

Simmie “Buddy” Sims III takes on the role of Artillery, a “raw, magnetic rapper whose artistry is intertwined with the violence surrounding him.” Artillery “speaks the truth of the streets without polish or compromise, which makes him powerful and unpredictable.” Sims is an American rapper, singer, and dancer who is professionally known as Buddy. He has been part of several stage productions, including The Wiz, Dreamgirls, and Oliver With a Twist.

Brandon Mychal Smith is cast as Darryl “DG” Grant, who is a “millionaire from the streets trying to transition from the drug game to the music business.” DG sees “hip-hop as a new hustle and struggles to adapt as power shifts away from fear and toward creativity.” Mychal Smith has appeared in several notable projects, including Let It Shine, Sonny with a Chance, Starstruck, So Random!, The Ron Clark Story, You’re the Worst, and Four Weddings and a Funeral.