Forever cast: Who stars in the Netflix romantic drama?
And where have you seen them before?
Netflix's latest romance series Forever has won the hearts of the nation.
Since landing on the streamer earlier this month, the show has received an overwhelmingly positive response and has held onto its spot in the platform's most-watched list.
Adapted from Judy Blume's groundbreaking 1975 novel, it's the series's nuanced and heartfelt love story that's captured the attention of viewers, as well as the brilliant performances from relative newcomers Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper, who lead the cast as young couple Keisha and Justin.
Fans have been blown away by the chemistry between the leading duo and, speaking recently about the pair's casting, creator Mara Brock Akil recently told Tudum: "When I saw them, I saw the world come together around them. I wasn’t in an audition anymore."
A handful of more established stars also feature in the series. Wondering who's who, and where you've seen the cast before? Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Forever on Netflix.
Forever cast: Complete guide to the Netflix series
Here’s an overview of the main characters within the cast, and underneath is a breakdown of the main characters, as well as a note on where you may have seen them before.
- Lovie Simone as Keisha
- Michael Cooper Jr as Justin
- Karen Pittman as Dawn
- Wood Harris as Eric
- Marvin Lawrence Winans III as Jaden
- Xosha Roquemore as Shelly
- Barry Shabaka Henley as George
- Ali Gallo as Chloe
- Niles Fitch as Darius
- Paigion Walker as Tiffany
- Adriyan Rae as Brittany
- Xavier Mills as Christian
- E’myri Crutchfield as Tammy
For more information about the characters and where you've seen the cast before, read on.
Lovie Simone plays Keisha
Who is Keisha? Keisha is a young, confident woman (and incredible running track star) who has a lot of aspirations for when her life really starts after high school. She’s smart, with her focused fixed on college, but is forced to reassess what’s important when she reconnects Justin.
Speaking about what it was like leading a show for the first time, she recently told ELLE: "At first, I was really nervous, but once it started happening and the pre-production turned into production, which turned into post-production, I was like, 'Wait a second, that was actually really fun.' I enjoyed the entire process.
"I’ve wanted to do this for my entire career. As the lead, I had a huge chunk of meat to work with as a creative and as an actor. And it was nice to play someone who wasn’t just a girlfriend."
What else has Lovie Simone been in? Simone rose to fame playing Zora Greenleaf in the series, Greenleaf, which was produced by Oprah Winfrey. Since then, she’s popped up in TV roles such as Orange Is the New Black, PowerBook III: Raising Kanan and starred in Apple TV’s Manhunt. The actress has also appeared in films such as The Craft: Legacy, Monster, 57 Seconds and The Walk.
Michael Cooper Jr plays Justin
Who is Justin? Justin is someone who feels trapped within his life. He’s a great athlete, but deep down he’s a nerd with a passion for making music. He wants to pursue a life different to the one his parents have planned for him, but struggles to stand up for himself.
What else has Michael Cooper Jr been in? One of Cooper Jr’s breakout roles was in the TV show series Vindication, before he appeared in films such as On the Come Up and The Inhabitant.
Wood Harris plays Eric
Who is Eric? Eric is Justin’s father, Dawn’s wife and an excellent restaurateur. He’s an easy-going father who gets on well with Justin, but also wants to make sure his son is making the right decisions about his future and the most of the opportunities that they’ve worked hard to provide for him.
What else has Wood Harris been in? Harris has appeared in films such as Ant-Man, Creed and Blade Runner 2049 in his extensive career. Alongside this, he’s had recurring roles in TV series such as The Wire, Empire and Winning Time: The Rise of Laker’s Dynasty.
Xosha Roquemore plays Shelly
Who is Shelly? Shelly is Keisha’s mother, a hard-working single mother who is incredibly supportive of her daughter’s ambitions. They haven’t had much throughout their life, but she’s determined to be a grounding, supporting presence for her daughter going through the good and bad times.
What else has Xosha Roquemore been in? Roquemore has appeared in TV series such as The Mindy Project and Black Monday, as well as starred in films such as Precious, Netflix’s Family Switch and, most recently, Captain America: Brave New World.
Barry Shabaka Henley plays George
Who is George? George is Keisha’s grandfather, a very protective father figure who is on hand to give advice during the moments when she feels lost with her ever-changing teenage life.
What else has Barry Shabaka Henley been in? Henley has had an extensive acting career appearing in series such as Bob Hearts Abishola, Black-ish, Hustle, Grey’s Anatomy, as well as films such as Collateral, Carrie, A Star Is Born and The Terminal.
Karen Pittman plays Dawn
Who is Dawn? Dawn is Justin’s mother, a hard-working college graduate and a respected top executive with a thriving finance career. She wants Justin to succeed and always tries to support both her sons by serving up some tough love at times, but only as she wants what’s best for them.
What else has Karen Pittman been in? Pittman rose to fame as Lisa in The Americans, after appearing in iconic TV series such as House of Cards, Law & Order and 30 Rock. Since then, Pittman is best known for her lead roles as Mia Jordan in Apple TV’s The Morning Show and a recurring role in Yellowstone as Willa Hayes. She’s set to reprise her role as Dr Nya Wallace in And Just Like That… in the upcoming third season too.
Marvin Lawrence Winans III plays Jaden
Who is Jaden? Jaden is Justin’s younger and slightly annoying brother, but he’s sweet, offers some light relief and thoroughly idolises his big brother.
What else has Marvin Lawrence Winans III been in? You might recognise the young actor from series such as Abbott Elementary and Santiago.
Ali Gallo plays Chloe
Who is Chloe? Chloe is Keisha’s best friend who is on hand to be support her through her highs and lows, even if she does become slightly self-involved at times, as, well, she has her own high school teenage issues to deal with.
What else has Ali Gallo been in? The actress is known for her film roles in Incoming and Unhuman, as well as for the TV series The Sex Life of College Girls.
Niles Fitch plays Darius
Who is Darius? Darius is Justin’s best friend and fellow athlete, who wants to help Justin become more confident. He’s more outgoing than Justin, especially when it comes to speaking and flirty with girls – which is one of the main goals at this point in his life.
What else has Niles Fitch been in? Fitch began as a child actor and had a long-running role in the acclaimed series This Is Us. He’s also appeared in That ‘90s Show, Atypical and films such as The Fallout.
Paigion Walker plays Tiffany and Adriyan Rae plays Brittany
Who are Tiffany and Brittany? Tiffany is Keisha’s older cousin. She’s a stylish new mum who is struggling to let go of her life before motherhood. Brittany is one of Keisha’s cousins, along with Tiffany. The trio often hang out together and put the world to rights.
What else have Paigion Walker and Adriyan Rae been in? Walker has appeared in film such as Quarantine Day 99, A Kill for a Kill and Why Do Men Cheat?. Rae has appeared in TV series such as Syfy’s Vagrant Queen, Chicago Fire, The Game and Atlanta.
Xavier Mills plays Christian
Who is Christian? Christian is Keisha’s ex-boyfriend and another great basketball player, who Keisha is slightly hung up on at the start of the series.
What else has Xavier Mills been in? Mills is best known for his roles in films such as The Burial, as well as TV series Legacies and Genius.
Additional cast includes:
- E’myri Crutchfield (The Kicks, Fargo) plays Tammy - Every teenage drama needs a rival, and for Keisha, that’s Tammy. She’s another track star on the team, who is confident and determined to do what it takes to bump Keisha off the number one spot.
Forever is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
Jess Bacon is a freelance film, culture and TV critic and interviewer who is obsessed with everything from Marvel to Star Wars to the representation of women on-screen. Her work has been featured in publications such as Rolling Stone, GQ, Stylist, Total Film, Elle, The Guardian, Digital Spy, Dazed, Cosmopolitan and the i. She’s also interviewed the likes of Zendaya, Brie Larson, Amy Adams, Dan Levy, Aaron Pierre and Brian Cox. In between overanalysing her favourite new comfort watch or internet trends, she’s working on her debut non-fiction book.
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
