The following is a list of characters from the HBO television show Boardwalk Empire. The show dramatizes the Prohibition era in Atlantic City and the early history of the American Mafia. Many of the characters on the show are fictional, but some are (loosely) based on historical figures. Some characters use the name of the person upon which they are based, while others have had their names changed for the program.

Cast Main cast Character Actor Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 Enoch "Nucky" Thompson Steve Buscemi colspan="5" James "Jimmy" Darmody Michael Pitt colspan="2" colspan="2" Margaret Thompson Kelly Macdonald colspan="5" Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller Michael Shannon colspan="5" Elias "Eli" Thompson Shea Whigham colspan="5" Angela Darmody Aleksa Palladino colspan="2" colspan="3" Arnold Rothstein Michael Stuhlbarg colspan="4" Al Capone Stephen Graham colspan="5" Charles "Lucky" Luciano Vincent Piazza colspan="5" Lucy Danziger Paz de la Huerta colspan="2" colspan="3" Albert "Chalky" White Michael Kenneth Williams colspan="5" Edward "Eddie" Kessler Anthony Laciura colspan="4" Mickey Doyle Paul Sparks colspan="5" Commodore Louis Kaestner Dabney Coleman colspan="2" colspan="2" Richard Harrow Jack Huston colspan="3" Gillian Darmody Gretchen Mol colspan="4" Owen Sleater Charlie Cox colspan="2" Gyp Rosetti Bobby Canavale colspan="2" colspan="2" Roy Phillips Ron Livingston colspan="3" Dr. Valentin Narcisse Jeffrey Wright colspan="3" colspan="2" William "Willie" Thompson Ben Rosenfield colspan="2" colspan="2"

Recurring cast Character Actor Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 Meyer Lansky Anatol Yusef colspan="5" Johnny Torrio Greg Antonacci colspan="5" Rose Van Alden Enid Graham colspan="2" colspan="3" Ethan Thompson Tom Aldredge colspan="2" colspan="2" Mrs. McGarry Dana Ivey colspan="4" Isabelle Jeunet Anna Katarina colspan="2" Louanne Pratt Johnnie Mae colspan="4" Agent Sebso Erik Weiner colspan="4" Mary Dittrich Lisa Joyce colspan="4" Pearl Emily Meade colspan="4" Edward Bader Kevin O'Rourke colspan="4" James Neary Robert Clohessy colspan="2" colspan="3" Harry Daugherty Christopher McDonald colspan="2" colspan="2" Leander Cephas Whitlock Dominic Chianese colspan="4" Esther Randolph Julianne Nicholson colspan="2" Manny Horvitz William Forsythe colspan="2" Dunn Purnsley Erik LaRay Harvey colspan="3" George Remus Glenn Fleshler colspan="2" Katy Heather Lind colspan="2" colspan="2" Joe Masseria Ivo Nandi colspan="2" Billie Kent Meg Chambers Steedle colspan="2" colspan="2" Gaston Bullock Means Stephen Root colspan="2" colspan="2" Andrew Mellon James Cromwell colspan="2" Julia Sagorsky Wrenn Schmidt colspan="2" colspan="2" Sally Wheet Patricia Arquette colspan="3" colspan="2" Ralph Capone Domenick Lombardozzi colspan="3" colspan="2" Frank Capone Morgan Spector colspan="3" James "Jim" Tolliver Brian Geraghty colspan="3" Daughter Maitland Margot Bingham colspan="3" colspan="2" Arquimedes Paul Calderon colspan="4" Tommy Darmody/Slim Travis Tope colspan="4"

Main characters Enoch "Nucky" Thompson

Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi) is the main protagonist of the series. He is the corrupt treasurer of Atlantic County and its most powerful political figure. The character is based on Enoch L. Johnson.

James "Jimmy" Darmody

James "Jimmy" Darmody (Michael Pitt) is the secondary protagonist and antagonist of the series and a main character in Seasons 1-2. He is a former Princeton student who served in World War I. After returning home, Jimmy is hired by Nucky Thompson as his driver. The character is based on Jimmy Boyd.

Margaret Thompson

Margaret Thompson (formerly Schroeder, née Rohan) (Kelly Macdonald) is a young Irish widow and mother who turns to Nucky for help, eventually becoming his lover and later his wife. The character is based on Florence Osbeck.

Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller

Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller (Michael Shannon) is one of the main characters of the series starting off as an antagonist in Season 1 and a supporting main character in Seasons 2-5. He is a former Prohibition agent on the run after the murder of his former partner. Under the alias George Mueller, he inadvertently gets caught up in the conflict between Dean O'Banion and Al Capone. The character is based on William Frank.

Elias "Eli" Thompson

Elias "Eli" Thompson (Shea Whigham) is a main supporting character throughout the series, being Nucky's younger brother and former sheriff of Atlantic County. The character is based on Alfred "Alf" Johnson.

Angela Darmody Angela Darmody (Aleksa Palladino) is a main character in Seasons 1–2. She is Jimmy's wife and the mother of his young son.

An art student at Princeton University, Angela began a romance with Jimmy Darmody in 1916. After Jimmy beat up a professor who attempted to grope his mother, Gillian, he was expelled and enlisted in World War I, leaving a pregnant Angela behind in Atlantic City.

During the first season, Angela struggles with Jimmy's descent into organized crime and his increasingly violent behaviour. Feeling isolated, she resumes a romantic relationship with Mary Dittrich, a photographer's wife. The two women plan to flee to Paris with Angela's son, Tommy. However, Mary and her husband abruptly abandon Angela, leaving her trapped in Atlantic City as Jimmy discovers the nature of her affair.

In Season 2, Jimmy and Angela move into a beach house, in an attempt to normalize their family life. Angela befriends and begins an affair with a novelist named Louise. Their relationship is tragically cut short when Philadelphia gangster Manny Horvitz, seeking revenge against Jimmy, breaks into their home. Mistaking Louise for Jimmy, Manny shoots her in the shower before executing a devastated Angela to eliminate her as a witness. ("Georgia Peaches")

Angela's murder deeply traumatizes Jimmy, which leads to a violent confrontation where he kills his father, the Commodore. Following Jimmy's subsequent death, their son Tommy is raised by Gillian. To avenge Angela, Richard Harrow assassinates Manny Horvitz at a later point of time. ("Resolution")

Arnold Rothstein

Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a main character in Seasons 1-4 and a recurring antagonist throughout the 4 seasons. He is a powerful and intelligent New York gangster who enters into business with Nucky and is based on the real-life historical figure of the same name.

Al Capone

Al Capone (Stephen Graham) is a main character throughout the series. He is a low-level Chicago gangster with ambitions of leading the Chicago mob and is based on the real-life historical figure of the same name.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano

Charles "Lucky" Luciano (Vincent Piazza) is a main supporting character in Seasons 1-4 and a main antagonist in Season 5. He is a Sicilian-American gangster and close associate of Rothstein based on the real-life historical figure of the same name.

Lucy Danziger Lucy Danziger (Paz de la Huerta) is a main character in Seasons 1-2. She is Nucky's mistress and a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer.

In Season 1, Lucy is portrayed as Nucky's demanding and superficial mistress. As Nucky becomes increasingly infatuated with Margaret Schroeder, Lucy grows jealous and acts out erratically which culminates in public confrontations. Nucky ultimately ends their relationship in favour of Margaret, which leaving Lucy desperate and isolated. Lucy seduces the married Prohibition Agent Nelson Van Alden and becomes pregnant.

In Season 2, Lucy is seen living in miserable seclusion under Van Alden's strict control until she gives birth to a daughter. She is desperate to escape and secretly secures funds from Nucky. Lucy abandons the infant with Van Alden, and flees Atlantic City to pursue a role in the Broadway musical A Dangerous Maid. ("Peg of Old")

Lucy is referenced in later seasons as well. Eddie Kessler notes to Nucky's subsequent mistress that Lucy has been entirely forgotten ("You'd Be Surprised"). Years later, her daughter Abigail only vaguely knows that her biological mother was a "dancer" ("King of Norway").

Albert "Chalky" White Albert "Chalky" White (Michael Kenneth Williams) is a main character throughout the series. He is Nucky's counterpart in Atlantic City's black community.

Edward "Eddie" Kessler Edward "Eddie" Kessler (Anthony Laciura) is a main supporting character in Seasons 1-4. He is Nucky's German personal assistant and valet. The character is based on Louis Kessel.

Mickey Doyle

Mickey Doyle (Paul Sparks) is a main supporting character throughout the series. He is an Atlantic City bootlegger. The character is based on Mickey Duffy.

Louis Kaestner Commodore Louis Kaestner (Dabney Coleman in Seasons 1-2, John Ellison Conlee in Season 5) is a main character in Seasons 1-2 and a recurring character in Season 5. He is Nucky's mentor and predecessor in Atlantic City, Jimmy's biological father. The character is based on Louis Kuehnle.

Richard Harrow

Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) is a recurring character in Season 1 and a main character in Seasons 2–4. He is a former Army marksman who allies with Jimmy and later Nucky. Disfigured during the war, he wears a mask over half of his face.

Gillian Darmody Gillian Darmody (Gretchen Mol) is a main character throughout the series. She is Jimmy's mother and an old friend of Nucky's. She is also Luciano's former lover.

Owen Sleater Owen Sleater (Charlie Cox) is a recurring character in Season 2 and a main supporting character in Season 3. He is an Irish immigrant and IRA member who has an affair with Margaret, while working his way up in Nucky's organization.

Gyp Rosetti

Gyp Rosetti (Bobby Cannavale) is the main antagonist of Season 3. He is a Sicilian gangster backed by Joe Masseria, who challenges Nucky.

Roy Phillips Roy Phillips (Ron Livingston) is a main supporting character in Season 4. He is a wealthy out-of-town businessman and Piggly Wiggly executive who becomes involved with Gillian Darmody.

Dr. Valentin Narcisse

Dr. Valentin Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) is a primary antagonist in Season 4 and a secondary antagonist in Season 5. He is a Harlem racketeer who challenges Chalky. The character is based on Casper Holstein.

William "Willie" Thompson William "Willie" Thompson (Kevin Csolak in Season 3, Ben Rosenfield in Seasons 4-5) is a recurring character in Seasons 3-4 and a main supporting character in Season 5. He is Eli's oldest son and Nucky's nephew who becomes an assistant U.S. Attorney in New York City.

Recurring characters Introduced in season one

Meyer Lansky Meyer Lansky (Anatol Yusef) is a recurring supporting character in Seasons 1-4 and a main co-antagonist alongside Luciano in Season 5. He is a young protégé of Rothstein and partners with Luciano. The character is based on Meyer Lansky.

Johnny Torrio Johnny Torrio (Greg Antonacci) is a recurring character in Seasons 1-4 and a secondary antagonist in Season 5 based on the real-life historical figure of the same name. He is Capone's boss in Chicago.

Rose Van Alden Rose Van Alden (Enid Graham) is a recurring character in Seasons 1-2. She is Nelson's ex-wife who is infertile.

June Thompson June Thompson (Nisi Sturgis) is a recurring character throughout the series. She is Eli's faithful, loyal, and kind wife who is also the rock of the family as the mother to their eight children.

Ethan Thompson Ethan Thompson (Tom Aldredge in Seasons 1-2, Ian Hart in Season 5) is a recurring character in Seasons 1-2 and in flashbacks in Season 5. He is Nucky and Eli's abusive father and Elenore's abusive husband. The character is based on Smith E. Johnson.

Mrs. McGarry Mrs. McGarry (Dana Ivey) is a recurring character in Season 1. She is a prominent leader of the Women's Suffrage and Temperance Movements. The character is based on Susan B. Anthony.

Isabelle Jeunet Isabelle Jeunet (Anna Katarina) is a recurring character in Season 1 and a guest character in Season 3. She is a French woman who owns an haute couture shop on the boardwalk.

Louanne Pratt