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Colorado Springs Police Department
Ron Stallworth
Portrayed by: John David Washington
The first black officer in the CSPD, and an undercover detective who infiltrates The Klan.- Afro Asskicker: Ron sports a large Afro, and puts himself under incredible risk to take down the Klan. He's not involved in that much action, but he doesn't hesitate to threaten and get himself seen by a whole bunch of Klan members when he thinks Flip is in trouble, or to tackle someone who he thinks has a bomb. Based on a discussion where he states his admiration for Blaxploitation films, his looks and chosen career may be an attempt to invoke this trope.
- Ambiguous Situation: It is not clear if Ron and Patrice are going to stay together at the end of the film. On another level, the movie has a Bolivian Army Ending that leaves ambiguous whether or not Patrice and Ron get into a literal or metaphorical shoot out with potential white supremacists (who still know Ron's address). Given that the real Ron Stallworth is alive and well, and that Patrice appears to be a fictionalized character, we can assume that they either survive an assassination attempt or that the final classic Spike Lee dolley shot into the future is meant to be symbolic.
- Badass Boast: "Ron Stallworth was BORN ready."
- Becoming the Mask: Invoked, in a way. Stallworth's first assignment as an undercover detective is to infiltrate a local group of black activists to report on whether or not they've become radicalized, and Stallworth takes the assignment in order to better connect with the community.
- The Charmer: He is able to charm everyone from Patrice to David Duke.
- Commonality Connection: With Patrice over Black liberation (despite their other differences in ideological perspectives) and, later, with Flip, as minorities hated by the KKK working together to infiltrate their local Klan chapter. Ron also invokes this on the phone with Duke and other Klan members in his ability to imitate the rhetoric and ideology of white supremacists.
- Consummate Liar: A necessary trait for an undercover cop.
- Cowboy Cop: Comes up with the idea to infiltrate the KKK on his own despite being a rookie, and repeatedly gets personally involved to further the case. Several times he does heroic but procedurally questionable actions, like throwing a brick through Felix's window when he thinks Flip is in trouble, or personally tackling Connie when he thinks she has the bomb.
- Deadpan Snarker: "Oh my god, you are SO white."
- Fire-Forged Friends: Ron and Flip start off as simply co-workers, with Flip being a very reluctant and cynical participant in the investigation, but eventually develop a true camaraderie and respect for one another.
- The Gadfly: Epically trolls Duke on the phone at the end of the movie and to his face when he asks to take a polaroid with him.
- Guile Hero: The mastermind and key architect of the mission to infiltrate the Klan although, obviously, he cannot interface with the Klan directly.
- Indy Ploy: Although he is key architect behind the entire mission, he also has a tendency to improv on the spot when necessary (such as when he needs to break a window to save Flip's life) or wants to troll David Duke.
- It's Personal: Early on, Ron's colleagues accuse him of having a vendetta against the Klan, of being determined to stop them regardless of whether they pose a threat to public safety or not. Later, his investigation really becomes personal when the Klan start plotting to kill his love interest, Patrice.
- Odd Couple: "The Stallworth Brothers"—the first black Colorado Springs cop and a non-practising Jewish man who share the undercover identity of a rising star in the KKK. Also, while Ron is a talkative, charismatic, Sharp-Dressed Man with a carefully maintained Afro, Flip is reserved, taciturn, and does not seem to own an outfit not consisting of blue jeans and flannel.
- Oh, Crap!: When he hears Flip causally mention that Felix is holding him at gun point over the wire, and, later, when Flip forgets a key detail in "Ron Stallworth"'s cover story.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Arguably the Red to Flip's Blue, despite also being The Chessmaster behind the mission.
- Real Name as an Alias: Ron Stallworth goes undercover to infiltrate Klu Klux Klan... and uses his real name. His co-workers make fun of him for this, and it causes some minor problems when Felix shows up at his house, having looked the name up in the phone book.
- Refuge in Audacity: A black man infiltrating the KKK and becoming so friendly with the Grand Wizard that he's appointed the leader of a local chapter. If it wasn't a true story, you'd never accept it.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: When off-duty, in that 70s way.
- The Strategist: Although he often ends up improvising the "plan" as he goes along, he is the one who comes up with the idea and remains in charge of calculating the next move.
Flip Zimmerman
Portrayed by: Adam Driver
A veteran CSPD officer, non-practicing Jew, and "face" for Ron Stallworth's undercover identity.- Ambiguously Jewish: Invoked. Although Flip apparently passes as a WASP in most contexts, Felix suspects that he's Jewish early on.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Played with. When Ron asks, surprised, if Flip is Jewish, Flip answers dryly "I dunno. Am I?" Flip is repeatedly asked if he is Jewish throughout the film in a very, very different context...leading to Flip to ask himself "I don't know, am I?" in a real, existential way.
- Artistic License: Although the real Ron Stallworth did rely on a white undercover narcotics officer to interface with the Klan (for obvious reasons), the identity of his partner has never been made public for privacy reasons. Thus, Flip is a largely fictionalized character and it was film's decision to make him Jewish.
- Big Damn Heroes: Shows up at the end just in the nick of time to save Ron from police brutality at the hands of their fellow cops. Of course, by this point the bomb in Patrice's car has already been detonated and she escapes harm due to luck and Felix's stupidity.
- Consummate Liar: He has to become this in order to go undercover in the Klan. While he is good enough to pass for most of the movie, he lacks Ron's charisma and memory, leading him to commit very basic mistakes such as forgetting whether or not his "sick father" lives in El Paso or Dallas.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Ron and Flip start off as simply co-workers, with Flip being a very reluctant and cynical participant in the investigation, but eventually develop a true camaraderie and respect for one another.
- Hiding Your Heritage: Ron accuses Flip of passing as a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, although later Flip says that he just never really thinks about being Jewish, but isn't intentionally trying to pass. On the other hand, he wears a Star of David necklace under his clothes and all of the other cops call him "Flip," suggesting that he does not go by his Jewish surname (Zimmerman) even at work.
- It Gets Easier: He slowly gets better at lying to the Klan and imitating their rhetoric, going from struggling to use a Jewish slur with a disgusted expression to Felix to being able to calmly call his best friend the n-word to keep from blowing his cover in the Klan.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Downplayed as Flip is always presented as brave and dedicated, but he is also cynical, blunt, and (in the beginning) extremely condescending to Ron. He slowly warms up to Ron as the case goes on and proves himself to be a loyal friend.
- The Lancer: to Ron.
- Not So Above It All: Unable to stop snickering alongside Ron after their Sarge describes his bureaucratic situation as a "circle jerk." More seriously, although Flip claims to be able to detach himself from his mission and see it as a "job," it evidently affects him emotionally more and more as he gets deeper into his role.
- Despite Flip's claim that he keeps the professional and personal separate, it seems that Ron has told Flip at some point that he is still dating Patrice which implies that Flip has not ratted Ron out. Ironically, we get this information in a cut-away during the scene where Ron finally confesses to Patrice that he is a cop in the context of Flip rebuking Ron for prioritizing his relationship with her over the investigation (in Flip's eyes).
- Flip also (silently) cracks up as much as Jimmy and Trapp listening to Ron troll David Duke on the phone.
- Odd Couple: "The Stallworth Brothers"—the first black Colorado Springs cop and a non-practicing Jewish man who share the undercover identity of a rising star in the KKK. Also while Ron is a talkative, charismatic, Sharp-Dressed Man with a carefully maintained Afro, Flip is reserved, taciturn, and does not seem to own an outfit not consisting of blue jeans and flannel.
- "Oh, Crap!" Smile: Flip's artificial smile and clearly panicky eyes when Felix shows him the Klan's weapons arsenal. It may be the only time in the film Flip is visibly fighting back pure panic when undercover. Also, he cannot stop smiling nervously in the banquet scene after Felix calls him by his real name, hinting that a nervous smile might be Flip's tell (as Flip is normally stoic in both his Klan persona and his regular life).
- Only Known by Their Nickname: All of his colleagues on the police force call him "Flip." His real name, Philip Zimmerman, is only given once near the end of the movie.
- Sarcastic Confession: Flip tells the KKK point-blank that he's Jewish when asked, but in a sarcastic, angry tone of voice.
Andy Landers
Portrayed by: Fred Weller
A violently racist cop that antagonizes both Ron and Patrice.- Dirty Cop: Never fails to antagonize Ron and other black folks. He abuses his powers to sexually harass Patrice.
- Historical Villain Upgrade: While Stallworth's memoir doesn't show him in a kind light, "Landers" is an out-and-out gleeful racist, although the most his real-life inspiration could be accused of is incredible incompetence and arrogance.
- Laser-Guided Karma: He antagonizes Patrice while arresting her. Close to the film's ending, he's the one getting arrested when he reveals his true colors with the rest of his co-workers listening.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: He pretty much embodies what a "pig" would be seen in society, sexually harassing Patrice and antagonizing Ron in the police station.
- Token Evil Teammate: He's the one cop on the Colorado Springs Police Force that's openly racist and violent. It gets bad to the point where him revealing his true colors with his co-workers overhearing him ultimately getting him arrested.
Chief Bridges
Portrayed by: Robert John Burke
The chief of the CSPD.- Da Chief: A classic example, with a mustache-sporting, tough-talking superintendent who says he has Ron's back but often gives him a hard time or doesn't support his investigations.
- Deadpan Snarker: His reaction upon learning that Ron, a black man, has arranged a meetup with members of the Klan, is to snark that Ron "probably shouldn't go to that."
- Reasonable Authority Figure: While not exactly an enthusiastic champion of civil rights, he obviously doesn't like racists and supports racial integration in his community. He makes a special effort to hire a black police officer to begin integrating his police force. He supports Ron's investigation against the KKK, believing them to be a dangerous organization, and ultimately personally oversees a sting operation on one of his own racist officers. He still butts heads with Ron on occasion, however.
Sergeant Trapp
Civil Rights Protesters
Patrice Dumas
Portrayed by: Laura Harrier
The president of the Black Student Union and Ron's girlfriend.- '70s Hair: A Black female version with an Afro invoking the image of a young Assata Shakur or Angela Davis.
- Ambiguous Situation: It is not clear if she and Ron are going to stay together at the end of the film. On another level, the movie has a Bolivian Army Ending that leaves ambiguous whether or not Patrice and Ron get into a literal or metaphorical shoot out with potential white supremacists (who still know Ron's address). Given that the real-life Ron Stallworth is alive and well and that Patrice appears to be a fictionalized character, we can assume that they either survive an assassination attempt or that the final classic Spike Lee dolley shot into the future is meant to be symbolic.
- Author Avatar: Played with. She echoes a young Spike Lee in many ways, although the film does not conclusively come down on her side or Ron's in their debate regarding the role of Black police officers in Black liberation.
- Composite Character: Between a woman that the real Stallworth mentions dating in his autobiography and of a young Angela Davis-type.
- Dating Catwoman: From her point of view, at the end of the movie, after finding out that Ron is a cop given her belief that the police cannot be reformed from the inside.
- Soapbox Sadie: Patrice is a young woman who's passionate and outspoken about Black liberation. She organizes protests and is the president of the Black Student Union. She's generally portrayed sympathetically, though there's some tension about whether her views or Ron's views on how to do it are correct. It should be noted that, on a meta-level, the film does support her view that film can have real, material cultural consequences.
- Was It All a Lie?: Patrice is understandably upset when she finds out that her boyfriend is an undercover cop who was uncover the night they met.
Kwame Ture
Portrayed by: Corey Hawkins
The real-life prime minister of the Black Panther Party.The Ku Klux Klan
David Duke
Portrayed by: Topher Grace
The Grand Wizard of The Klan.- Faux Affably Evil: Despite his polite exterior, there are hints that Duke isn't so different from the more openly malicious Felix. When (unknowingly) interacting directly with Ron he is much less friendly than he is with the other characters, and when Ron tricks him into taking a picture with him, Duke is visibly angered and is clearly moments away from showing his true, hateful colours.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Ron is never up against him directly, seeking mainly to foil the local Klan's plans, but Duke is ultimately their leader and an inspiration to people like them. Duke is Saved by Canon, as he was still alive when the film was made.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Duke claims he can identify a black person by the way they talk during one of his phone conversations with Ron. Ron shows him just how stupid he really is be revealing he has been talking to a black man all along.
- Historical Domain Character: You even see footage of the real David Duke at the end of the film.
- Karma Houdini: Aside from realizing he got duped by a Black man, Duke faces no real consequences at the end of the film. Truth in Television, sadly.
- Pet the Dog: Downplayed on so many levels. While his attitude towards Black people are no different than any other Klan member, he was at least willing (albeit reluctantly) to get a polaroid with Ron Stallworth. Though he gets incredibly pissed when Stallworth trolls him with an arm on his shoulder.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: A given since he's the Grand Wizard of The Klan.
Felix Kendrickson
Portrayed by: Jasper Pääkkönen
Breachway's second-in-command.- Ax-Crazy: Felix is the most eager of the Klan members to resort to violence.
- Big Bad: Even though David Duke is the Grand Wizard and Walter Breachway is the Chapter President, Felix is Klan's evilest member and arguably the biggest threat to the heroes.
- Cassandra Truth: His paranoia that "Ron" is Jewish turns out to be correct. It could be a case of a broken clock being right twice a day (Felix is paranoid about Jewish "infiltrators" in general and happened to be right this time), or he may have realized that "Ron" was lying the first time Felix asked if he was Jewish inches from Flip's face.
- Dragon-in-Chief: Even though Breachway is the KKK chapter's president, Felix is the Big Bad.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Felix and Connie Kendrickson are terrible racist folks, but they really love each other.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Felix, Ivanhoe, and Walker are killed by the C4 bomb they planned to use on Patrice.
- More Despicable Minion: He's far from the ranks of David Duke and Walter Breachway, but he's the most violent and psycho of the Klan. It's actually bad to the point where Walter attempts to restrain him a few times (albeit for pragmatic reasons).
- Obviously Evil: While Walter and David Duke are affable and courteous to new acquaintances (as long as those acquaintances are WASP, of course), Felix is every bit the stereotypical hate-mongering, cross-burning Klansman —and proud of it.
- Properly Paranoid: His suspicions that "Ron" is actually an undercover Jew trying to infiltrate the Klan are correct.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: He's the most Obviously Evil KKK member, so yeah.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red oni to Breachway's blue oni. Breachway is friendly and even-tempered while Felix is violent and paranoid. Breachway even comments that Felix's paranoia hurts recruitment.
Walter Breachway
Portrayed by: Ryan Eggold
The president of the Colorado Springs's KKK chapter.- Faux Affably Evil: He is notably more welcoming and friendly than one would typically expect from a Klan leader, and is openly critical of Felix's more Ax-Crazy tendancies. However, it is clear that he and Felix share the same beliefs and goals for an all-white America, but Walter is simply more concerned with keeping up a more appealing appearance for the organisation.
- Historical Beauty Upgrade: He's played by the much more conventionally handsome Ryan Eggold, although was similar in stature and build to Ivanhoe in reality.
- Four Eyes, Zero Soul: Wears glasses and is a virulent racist.
- Oral Fixation: Breachway is often shown chewing something or smoking a cigarette.
- Passing the Torch: Invoked in-universe. Walter is very eager to recruit "Ron" and almost immediately names him as his successor because, as we see in his smoozing up to David Duke, Walter wants to work for the Klan in a national capacity and knows Felix is too crazy to replace him.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Well, he is a Branch Leader for a Klan chapter, so...
- Pragmatic Villainy: He tries to stop Felix from interrogating Flip at gunpoint with the "Jew detector" polygraph, not for moral reasons but because it hurts recruitment.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue oni to Felix's red oni. Breachway is friendly and even-tempered while Felix is violent and paranoid. Breachway even comments that Felix's paranoia hurts recruitment.
Ivanhoe
Portrayed by: Paul Walter Hauser
A member of the Colorado Springs KKK chapter.- The Alcoholic: Ivanhoe is almost never sober.
- Fat Idiot: Burly, bearded Ivanhoe is extremely dumb, and often extremely drunk, which doesn't help him seem any smarter.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Felix, Ivanhoe, and Walker are killed by the C4 bomb they planned to use on Patrice.
- I Call It "Vera": Has a gun named "Betsy".
- Politically Incorrect Villain: He's a member of the KKK. What else?
Connie Kendrickson
Portrayed by: Ashlie Atkinson
Felix's housewife, and an important asset to the KKK.- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Is a very sweet looking housewife, but is just as wildly racist as her husband.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Felix and Connie Kendrickson are terrible racist folks, but they really love each other.
- Fat Bitch: Connie is as rotund as she is evil.
- Faux Affably Evil: She's very nice to her husband but is a racist bitch.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Her husband is killed by the very bomb that she intended to use on Patrice.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: As one would expect of a KKK member.
Walker
Portrayed by: Nicholas Turturro
A weapons supplier for the KKK.- Black Vikings: He is very obviously of Italian heritage, yet is playing a card-carrying member of the KKK, who demand only Anglo-Saxon Protestants as members.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Felix, Ivanhoe, and Walker are killed by the C4 bomb they planned to use on Patrice. Walker was even the one who supplied them with the C4.
