Elise Johnson (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) had such a strong connection to Malcolm X (Nigel Thatch) in Godfather of Harlem that she felt every action leading to Malcolm’s death without being in the room. Malcolm X’s death was expected, but when it came, it was heart-wrenching, especially for Elise, whose strong feelings for Malcolm had been obvious since the first season. Elise was so close to Malcolm that many fans still wonder whether her relationship with Malcolm ever went beyond friendship.
Elise was in love with Malcolm and even got close to kissing him at one point while at the mosque, but at no time did they get physically intimate in Godfather of Harlem. Betty Shabazz (Grace Porter) was jealous of Elise at first when she thought Malcolm was having an affair with her, but the two later became friends after she understood that Elise respected Malcolm’s marriage. Rumors of Malcolm’s affair with Elise were just lies spread by his enemies in the Nation of Islam.
No details suggest that Malcolm X cheated on Betty in real life either, so the rumors stay unproven. Many fans would still agree that Elise would have made a better wife to Malcolm in the show than Betty because she loved him so much. Elise’s relationship with Malcolm X in Godfather of Harlem was still very special, so let’s delve into the details.
Did Malcolm X have an affair with Bumpy Johnson’s Daughter?
Despite having mutual feelings for each other, Malcolm X respected his marriage to Betty and chose to keep his relationship with Elise professional.
Betty received a letter that was apparently written by Elise Johnson, claiming that she was pregnant with Malcolm’s baby in the first season, but Malcolm explained everything to Betty. Malcolm’s rivals wrote the letter at the mosque or in the FBI, trying to cause conflict in his marriage. Betty later met Elise when she came to warn Malcolm about plans by NOI members to kill him.
When Betty confronted Elise with her fears that she was having an affair with Malcolm, Elise admitted her feelings for Malcolm but told Betty that she respected Malcolm’s marriage and would never have an affair with him.
Elise Johnson later got engaged to Captain Omar, after which Betty Betty stopped being jealous about her husband’s relationship with Bumpy Johnson’s daughter, and the two became good friends afterward.
Who is Malcolm X’s wife in Godfather of Harlem?
Malcolm X’s wife in Godfather of Harlem is Betty Shabazz (Grace Porter), a stay-at-home mother of two who does her best to stay away from Malcolm’s public life. Betty is a good mother, always shielding the children from the violence in Malcolm X’s world although she is always worried about the family’s safety because of the death threats the family receives.
Her first major action in the show came when she confronted Malcolm about the letter suggesting that he was having an affair with Elise Johnson.
She later became friends with Elise, and the two shared concerns for Malcolm’s safety after he fell out with Elijah Mohammed. She is also a supportive wife who stood with Malcolm despite the opposition he received from NOI and the government and even became impervious to the threats on Malcolm’s life.
She also allowed Elise Johnson to work closely with Malcolm and even become his assistant. However, Betty could have done more to force Malcolm to keep himself and the family safe.
Grace Porter, who plays Betty, is a theatre performer. Betty’s role is the biggest one of her career so far, with her performance largely receiving positive reviews from Godfather of Harlem’s global fanbase.
Who is Elise Johnson in Godfather of Harlem?
Elise Johnson (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) is Bumpy Johnson’s eldest daughter who became estranged from the family because of heroin addiction while her father was imprisoned in Alcatraz.
She gave birth to a daughter Margaret (Demi Singleton), whom her parents took and raised as their own because she could not care for her while living in the streets.
Elise was rescued from the streets by The Nation of Islam members who treated her addiction until she made a full recovery. During her recovery, she met Malcolm, and the two became close friends.
She developed feelings for Malcolm and tried to kiss him at one point, but Malcolm pulled away because he was married. Malcolm also liked Elise but chose to respect his marriage to Betty.
Elise later became Malcolm’s spy at the mosque after he was expelled by Elijah Mohammed and managed to notify Malcolm about plans to assassinate him by other ministers at the mosque.
She was later expelled from the mosque and joined Malcolm’s team as his assistant. Her best time in the show came when she joined Malcolm on his trip to Africa.
Elise Johnson is portrayed by Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, who made her breakthrough with the role of Nora Vanderhoff in the 2019 movie Inpatient.
She has made cameos in other popular shows, including Kindred, Passing, and Geechee. She managed to capture the different facets of Elise Johnson, bringing the character to life, which is why her performance received many positive reviews.
Malcolm X and Elise Johnson’s relationship explained
Elise worked as Malcolm X’s assistant until the very day he was killed. She was in the waiting listening to the commotion as the assailants shot at Malcolm, and it all felt as if she knew it was going to happen.
Before their relationship became professional, Elise worked with Malcolm at the mosque after she converted to Islam before Elijah Mohammed expelled Malcolm.
She already liked Malcolm, and his advice during her recovery convinced her to quit heroin and become clean. Malcolm was also fond of her and visited her frequently during her recovery.
Malcolm didn’t know that Elise was Bumpy Johnson’s daughter until after her conversion to Islam. He was close friends with Bumpy because they worked together for the Mafia before Johnson went to prison.
Opposition from other members of the NOI at the mosque only pushed Elise closer to Malcolm, and the two nearly shared a kiss at one point before Malcolm pulled away.
They admitted their attraction towards each other, but Malcolm chose to respect his marriage to Betty, a position that Elise also accepted.
Elise’s engagement with Captain Omar led to the end of her romantic encounters with Malcolm. After Omar tried to kill Malcolm, Elise left him and went to work with Malcolm, cementing their friendship and strictly professional relationship.
Elise loved Malcolm and even worked behind his back to provide security for him after he refused help from Bumpy Johnson. There was nothing she could do to help him when he was killed because he ignored all warnings and went to the auditorium, knowing it wasn’t safe.
