Meet the Cast of Netflix's 'Forever'

Your next swoon-worthy binge is here. Forever, adapted by Mara Brock Akil from the eponymous Judy Blume romance novel, traverses the teenage love story between Keisha Clark and Justin Edwards during their senior year of high school. Over eight episodes, Keisha and Justin must navigate peer gossip, parental concerns, and their evolving identities to ultimately decide whether this will be a love that lasts.

Relative newcomers Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. headline the must-watch series, but it also features plenty of faces you might recognize in supporting roles. Ahead, get to know the Forever cast and characters you’re sure to fall in love with when the show begins streaming on May 8, 2025.

Lovie Simone as Keisha Clark

Lovie Simone plays Keisha, one-half of the central couple of the Netflix series. Keisha is a track star and A-student gunning for an athletic scholarship to Howard, who is also trying to outrun (pun intended) her reputation from her previous school. Everything changes for her when she meets Justin, whom she’s had a crush on since childhood.

Simone, 26, is best known for her starring role on the Oprah Winfrey Network series Greenleaf, which ran from 2016 to 2020. She was a main character in the first season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan and also appeared in the 2024 true-crime miniseries Manhunt opposite Tobias Menzies. Her breakout film role was in 2019's cult-loved indie Selah and the Spades.

Michael Cooper Jr. as Justin Edwards

Michael Cooper Jr. is Justin, the level-headed son of a wealthy family. Justin hasn’t let his privilege go to his head, but he also isn’t as self-motivated as Keisha, especially in the academic department. He’s passionate about basketball, music, and his girlfriend Keisha, and finds himself at a crossroads about his future during the season.

Cooper Jr. got his start in short films before landing a role in the 2022 film On the Come Up, directed by Sanaa Lathan.

Xosha Roquemore as Shelly

Xosha Roquemore co-stars as Shelly, Keisha’s single mom who works multiple jobs to support her daughter’s dreams. She’s unaware of the real reasons why her daughter had to leave her old school, and is hurt when—and how—she finds out the truth.

You’ll probably recognize Roquemore, 40, from either the 2009 Oscar-nominated Lee Daniels film Precious or her supporting role on the hit comedy The Mindy Project, which she appeared on for the full six-season run. In 2020, she headlined the first season of the Ava DuVernay-helmed romantic anthology series Cherish the Day.

Karen Pittman as Dawn Edwards

Karen Pittman’s Dawn is her family’s breadwinner and fiercely loving matriarch of the Edwards family. She’s worried about Justin’s future and works hard to help Justin get accepted to Northwestern University—where both her character and Pittman herself went to undergrad—but is also happy that her son is dating a Black girl.

Pittman, 38, is likely best known for her role on The Morning Show opposite Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon as a producer on the titular morning news show. Shortly after, she also starred in the Sex and the City sequel series And Just Like That…, though she won’t be returning for the new season that begins at the end of May 2025. Pittman’s other credits also include hit dramas like Luke Cage and The Americans.

Wood Harris as Eric Edwards

Wood Harris plays Eric, Justin’s father and a chef by trade. He’s the more relaxed parent of the two who has to remind his wife to allow Justin to make his own mistakes, though he’s equally worried about his son’s professional prospects.

Harris, 55, starred in films like Remember the Titans (2000) and Above the Rim (1994) before starring in the acclaimed HBO hit The Wire as the drug kingpin Avon Barksdale during the hit ‘00s show’s run from 2002 to 2008. Since then, he’s also acted in the TV series Empire, the Creed film franchise, and the Marvel film Ant-Man. In addition to Forever, he can also currently be seen on the Starz series BMF.

Marvin Lawrence Winans III as Jaden

Jaden is Justin’s younger brother, who both looks up to and pokes fun at his older brother, especially when Justin is chastised by their mom.

Before his supporting role in Forever, Marvin Lawrence Winans III appeared in three episodes of Abbott Elementary, the 2022 film First, and the TV series Santiago. Like the Edwards family on the show, Winans III is an avid basketball fan with professional aspirations: His Instagram bio lists him as a baller first, actor second, with “NBA goals.” The rising performer comes from a family of entertainers: His father is singer/producer Marvin Winans Jr., and his grandparents, Vickie and Marvin Winans, were renowned gospel stars.

Barry Shabaka Henley as George

For Keisha, Barry Shabaka Henley’s George is both her grandfather and a father figure, given that her father is not consistently present in her life. George often accompanies his granddaughter during her early morning training, and occasionally offers wisdom about her boy problems.

Henley, 70, has made a career as a character actor, most notably in the films of Michael Mann, the director of Ali, Collateral, and Miami Vice. On TV, he has starred in Bob Hearts Abishola, FlashForward, Barbershop, and Robbery Homicide Division.

Niles Fitch as Darius, Justin's best friend

Niles Fitch appears as Darius, Justin’s best friend, who first alerts him about the rumors surrounding Keisha and her past relationship. Though he’s wary and doesn’t entirely understand the love between Justin and Keisha, he is ultimately supportive.

You might recognize Fitch, 23, from his role on This Is Us, where he played young Randall for the full series run. With his This Is Us castmates, he won a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2018. Fitch also appeared in Megan Park’s school shooting film The Fallout, opposite Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler, and had a small role in the Denzel Washington-led 2017 movie Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Ali Gallo as Chloe

Ali Gallo plays Chloe, Keisha’s best friend from her former private school. Her party is why Justin and Keisha reconnect in the first place.

Gallo, 26, has appeared in the TV shows The Sex Lives of College Girls and Virtual Morality, and the film Unhuman. She’ll also soon star in The Late Night Creep, a film led by Leslie Jones and Jason Mitchell.