The Family Business (American TV series)

The Family Business
Genre	Crime drama[1]
Created by	Carl Weber
Starring	Ernie Hudson Valarie Pettiford Darrin Henson Javicia Leslie Sean Ringgold Tami Roman Miguel A. Núñez Jr. Arrington Foster Dylan Weber Emilio Rivera KJ Smith Yadi Valerio Brely Evans Ben Stephens Stan Shaw LisaRaye McCoy
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	52
Production
Executive producers	Nikaya D. Brown Jones Carl Weber Maureen Guthman Ernie Hudson Trey Haley
Producers	Ben Stephens Christian Keyes Michelle Suite Lorisa Bates Sean Ringgold Abe Brown
Running time	40–47 minutes
Production companies	Tri Destined Studios Urban Books Media
Original release
Network	BET (season 1) BET+ (seasons 2–present)
Release	November 13, 2018 (2018-11-13) – present

The Family Business is an American crime family drama created by Carl Weber and based on his bestselling crime drama book series. Originally developed as an independent film franchise, BET produced it as an eight-episode limited series in 2018.^[2][3][4]

The series follows the Duncans, an upstanding family that owns and operates an exotic car dealership in New York. It stars Ernie Hudson and Valarie Pettiford. A spin-off The Family Business: New Orleans starring Lela Rochon has been ordered by BET+ in 2024.

Ernie Hudson and Valarie Pettiford star in the series.

• Ernie Hudson as Lavernius "L.C." Duncan - L.C. Duncan is the patriarch and CEO of the Duncan Family business: Duncan Motors. Known as a no nonsense affluent businessman in the legitimate and underworld, L.C.'s reputation precedes him. However, it's finally time to sit back and enjoy life with his wife and grandchildren, so he has finally decided it's time to pass on the mantle of leadership.
• Valarie Pettiford as Charlotte "Chippy" Duncan - The stunning Duncan matriarch who keeps the family together no matter what the challenges are. She can be sweet as pie, yet tough as nails. Her love for her husband and family can never be challenged.
• Armand Assante as Sal Dash (season 1) - Mafia crime boss and close ally to the Duncan family. Sal has a major concern with certain changes that are happening within the Duncan family as well as a purchase he made with L.C. Duncan.
• Darrin Henson as Orlando Duncan - Orlando is the handsome, smart and edgy, newly appointed CEO of Duncan Motors. His new appointment comes not only as a surprise but also with jealousy and controversy despite his workaholic tendencies.
• Emilio Rivera (season 1: recurring later) as Alejandro Zuniga - Alejandro is a savvy Mexican crime boss in Los Angeles who is the leader of Zuniga Cartel and is a longtime foe of the Duncan family. He's trying to mend fences through his son, but the jury is still out on whether he plans on stabbing them in the back.
• Yadi Rivera as Consuela Zuniga (season 4; recurring seasons 2–3) - Alejandro's hot and fierce wife and mother of Miguel. Known as "La Madrina", she is as cruel, brutal and bloody as her husband and cartel boss, Alejandro.
• Javicia Leslie as Paris Duncan - Paris is the youngest daughter of the Duncan family. A glamorous spoiled party girl who always gets what she wants and knows how to handle herself in any situation. She's educated, seductive and knows how to handle a gun.
• Miguel A. Núñez Jr. as Harris Grant - Harris is the husband of the Duncans' oldest daughter London and the Duncan family lawyer and fixer. He has his hands in most of the family business dealings and was the most surprised when L.C. passed him up for Orlando to run the family business.
• Tami Roman as London Duncan-Grant - London is the oldest daughter and mother of Mariah & Maria. She's appearing to be a home body for the most part, but London has many tantalizing secrets of her own.
• Sean Ringgold as Junior Duncan - The oldest of the Duncan children and as large as any professional football player. Junior is the family's security specialist. No matter what the situation is, he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family.
• Arrington Foster as Rio Duncan - Paris's flamboyant twin brother who manages a popular club & lounge in New York City. Rio is willing to do whatever he can to prove to his father that he deserves the same respect as his brothers.
• LisaRaye McCoy as Donna Duncan (seasons 1–2, 4, guest in season 3)
• KJ Smith as Sasha Duncan (seasons 1–2, guest in season 3) - Paris and Rio's lustful cousin and a hot woman of the Duncan family. Like her cousin Paris, she is intelligent, manipulative, beautiful, sexy, knows how to seduce and eliminate people like no one else.
• Dylan Weber as Nevada Duncan - The teenage son of Vegas and heir to the Duncan leadership. Nevada is the only grandson being groomed to run the Duncan family business.
• Michael Jai White as Vegas Duncan - Vegas is the wise and mysterious missing brother of the Duncan family. He is respected by all but his whereabouts are known to few.
• Stan Shaw as Larry Duncan, L.C.'s older brother who was held at a mental institution and blames L.C. and his family for his hospitalization. He has been plotting his escape and revenge for years. (Seasons 3–4)
• Brely Evans as Sonya Duncan (season 4, recurring seasons 2–3)^[5] - married to Junior Duncan
• Ben Stephens as Curtis Duncan (season 4)^[5] - Curtis is a bounty hunter and the nephew of L.C. Duncan

On December 19, 2019, the series was renewed for a 12-episode second season to air on the network's streaming service BET+.^[49] On December 4, 2020, the series was renewed for a third season^[50] On January 28, 2022, the series was renewed for a fourth season.^[51] In October 2023, creator Carl Weber stated that a fifth season was being worked on, until it was halted due to the Hollywood labor strikes.^[52]

The first season premiered on November 13, 2018. The second season premiered on July 2, 2020.^[53] The third season premiered on October 14, 2021. The fourth season was originally premiered on July 28, 2022.;^[54] however, it premiered on September 1, 2022^[55] The fifth season will premiere on July 4, 2024.^[56]

On January 17, 2024 it was reported that BET+ has ordered a eight-episode New Orleans-set spinoff starring Brandon T. Jackson.^[57] On March 6, 2024 Lela Rochon was cast as lead along with Ben Stephens, Pooch Hall, Quincy Brown, David Banner, Yvette Nicole Brown, Orlando Jones, Nicole Galicia, Erica Hubbard, Sarah Carter, Stan Shaw, Bern Nadette Stanis, Nayirah Teshali, Sacaiah Shaw, Jenson Atwood, AzMarie Livingston, Deric Augustine, Kayla Nicole and Nicholas Turturro round out the cast.^[58]

• The Family Business at IMDb