John Singleton didn’t just make a show about the crack epidemic. He basically built a time machine. When you look back at the snowfall cast season 1, it’s wild to see how many of those faces were relatively unknown at the time, yet they carried the weight of a 1980s Los Angeles that felt lived-in, sweaty, and dangerous. Honestly, most people focus on how the show ended, but the beginning? That’s where the magic was.
Franklin Saint wasn't a kingpin yet. He was just a kid in a polo shirt.
The core three: Damson Idris and the breakout stars
It’s hard to imagine anyone else as Franklin Saint. Damson Idris, a British actor who mastered a South Central accent so well it fooled locals, is the undeniable anchor of the snowfall cast season 1. In those early episodes, he plays Franklin with this sort of naive ambition. You see it in his eyes. He isn't trying to destroy his community; he’s trying to get a slice of a pie he’s been told he can’t touch.
Then you’ve got the family dynamic.
Cissy Saint, played by Michael Hyatt, and Jerome Saint, played by Amin Joseph. They represent the two halves of Franklin’s soul. Cissy is the voice of hard work and respectability, while Jerome is the "unc" we all wish we had—tough, funny, and initially just trying to sell some speakers and weed. Amin Joseph’s performance in season one is actually quite understated compared to the legend he became later. He gave the show its heart.
And we can't forget Aunt Louie. Angela Lewis brought a grit to the role that felt incredibly authentic. In the first season, she’s more of a supporting player, but her chemistry with Jerome created the foundation for everything that went wrong (and right) later in the series.
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The CIA connection that felt like a different show
One of the weirdest things about revisiting the snowfall cast season 1 is how disconnected the storylines felt. You had the streets, and then you had Carter Hudson as Teddy McDonald.
Teddy is a disgraced CIA operative trying to get back in the good graces of the agency by funding a war in Nicaragua. Carter Hudson plays him with this twitchy, desperate energy. He’s a "true believer" who slowly loses his mind. Seeing him interact with Alejandro Usteves (played by Juan Javier Cárdenas) provided this cold, clinical contrast to the vibrant chaos of Franklin’s world. It’s a polarizing part of the first season. Some fans hated it. Others realized it was the "why" behind the "what."
The muscle and the tragedy: Gustavo and Lucia
While Franklin was moving kilos, Gustavo "El Oso" Zapata was just trying to survive the wrestling ring and the cartel. Sergio Peris-Mencheta is a beast of an actor. He barely speaks in the first few episodes, using his physical presence to tell the story of a man who is tired of being used.
His partnership with Emily Rios, who played Lucia Villanueva, added a Shakespearean layer to the drug trade. Lucia was the daughter of a crime boss, hungry for power in a way that Franklin hadn't even considered yet. The snowfall cast season 1 really benefited from this triple-narrative structure, even if it took a while for the threads to weave together.
Supporting players you totally forgot were there
Look at the fringes. You’ve got Leon Simmons, played by Isaiah John. In season one, Leon is just the hot-headed best friend. He’s the guy who wants to pull a gun before asking questions. Isaiah John played that impulsivity with so much raw nerves that you knew he was either going to die or become a general.
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- Kevin Hamilton (Malcolm Mays): The third member of the original trio. His exit later in the series was a turning point, but in season one, he was the glue.
- Avi Drexler (Alon Aboutboul): The Israeli arms dealer who gave the show its weird, eccentric flair. Aboutboul played Avi like a man who knew he was in a movie and loved every second of it.
- The neighborhood kids: The background extras in the park scenes were often local to the filming areas in Los Angeles, which added that layer of E-E-A-T (Experience and Expertise) that John Singleton demanded.
Why the first season's casting was a gamble
At the time, FX was taking a massive risk. They didn't have a "big name" lead. They relied on the vision of Singleton and the raw talent of these actors. The snowfall cast season 1 had to prove that a story about the crack cocaine epidemic could be nuanced instead of just being "trapped" in tropes.
They succeeded because the actors didn't play "drug dealers." They played people.
Franklin was a son. Jerome was a brother. Teddy was a patriot (in his own twisted mind). When you watch it back, the pacing is slower than the explosive final seasons. It’s a character study. You’re watching the slow-motion car crash of a neighborhood.
Misconceptions about the early days
People often think the show started with Franklin being a boss. He wasn't. He was literally carrying around a brick of cocaine in a backpack, terrified. The snowfall cast season 1 had to portray that fear. If Damson Idris had come out swinging like a kingpin in episode one, the show would have failed.
The struggle was the point.
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The tension between the Mexican cartel storyline and the CIA storyline often felt like two different shows fighting for airtime. It wasn't until the end of the season that the gravity of how these worlds collided really hit the audience. That’s a testament to the casting; you stayed for the characters even when the plot felt fragmented.
How to appreciate the season 1 ensemble today
If you're going back for a rewatch, or if you're just diving in for the first time, pay attention to the silence. Notice how the snowfall cast season 1 uses glances and body language.
- Watch Cissy’s face when Franklin buys the house. It’s not pride; it’s immediate suspicion.
- Look at Gustavo’s posture. He carries the weight of a man who knows he’s a pawn.
- Observe Teddy McDonald’s descent into obsession through his grooming. He starts the season looking like a government clerk and ends it looking like a man who hasn't slept in three years.
The real brilliance of the casting was the foresight to pick actors who could evolve. They didn't just cast for what the characters were in 1983; they cast for what they would become by 1990.
Practical steps for fans of the series
If you want to dive deeper into the world the snowfall cast season 1 created, don't just stop at the credits.
Start by researching the real-life history of the Freeway Ricky Ross story, which heavily inspired Franklin's arc, though the show takes plenty of creative liberties. Listen to interviews with Damson Idris about his "accent coach" sessions—he actually spent time in South Central just listening to people talk at barbershops.
Finally, check out the cinematography of the first season specifically. The way they lit the actors—using warm, golden hues for the California sun—created a nostalgic feeling that made the eventual darkness of the drug trade feel even more tragic. Understanding the visual language helps you appreciate the performances on a much higher level.
Revisiting this ensemble is a reminder that great television isn't just about the writing; it's about finding the right people to breathe life into the ghosts of history.