Chadwick Boseman as James Brown

Nelsan Ellis as Bobby Byrd

Dan Aykroyd as Ben Bart

Viola Davis as Susie Brown

Lennie James as Joe Brown

Fred Melamed as Syd Nathan

Jill Scott as DeeDee Brown

Octavia Spencer as Aunt Honey

Nick Eversman as Mick Jagger

Tika Sumpter as Yvonne Fair

James DuMont as Corporal Dooley

Billy Slaughter as Pool Cleaner

Ritchie Montgomery as Warden

Craig Robinson as Maceo Parker

Brandon Mychal Smith as Little Richard

Aloe Blacc as Nafloyd Scott

Josh Hopkins as Ralph Bass

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Vicki Anderson

Tariq Trotter as Pee Wee Ellis

Keith D. Robinson as Baby Roy

Stacey Scowley as Penelope White

Liz Mikel as Gertrude Sanders

Julius Tennon as Grandpa Byrd

Allison Janney as Kathy

John Benjamin Hickey as Richard

J.D. Evermore as Seminar Presenter

Carol Lee as Mavis

Cleta Elaine Ellington as Shirley Buell

Jim Gleason as Insurance Salesman

Ahna O'Reilly as Reporter

Antonius Charles as Black Infantryman

Donald Watkins as Black Infantryman

Corey Sorenson as Pilot

Hunter Burke as Soldier

Jamarion Scott as Little James Brown

Jordan Scott as Little James Brown

Rena DeAngelo as Reno Reporter

Aakomon Jones as Bobby Bennett

George Quinones as Lynched Man

Aaron Jay Rome as Frankie Avalon

Atkins Estimond as Big Junior

Clyde Jones as Daddy Grace

Michael Papajohn as 1949 Cop

Denzel Reed as Big Kid

Phyllis Montana LeBlanc as Mrs. Byrd

Taura Cherne as Sarah Byrd

Kirk Bovill as Announcer

Cariella Smith as Diner Waitress

Jacinte Blankenship as Velma Brown

Sandra DeNise as Female in Audience

Sheldon Frett as Susie's Soldier

Mario J. Radford as JB Chauffeur

Joe T. Blankenship as Alan Leeds

Randy Smith as Minder

Alvin Edney II as Teddy Brown

Adrien Scott Robinson as Little Christmas Boy

Elliott June Rogers as Little Christmas Girl

Jamell Richardson as Jimmy Nolen

Jason Davis as Mayor White

Justin Hall as Bootsy

David Carzell as Catfish

Dominic Thigpen as Chicken

Matt Thompson as 1949 Cop

Aaron J. Brooks as Insurance Agent