Valentin Narcisse
Dr. Valentin Narcisse is a fictional character from the HBO TV series Boardwalk Empire, portrayed by Jeffrey Wright. He is a prominent and highly-educated underworld figure based out of Harlem, New York and a nationalist orator, active in the Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association.Inspiration
Narcisse was based on a couple of figures. The mixture of egotism and intellect was influenced by Narcissus from Greek mythology. He was also inspired by Casper Holstein, a prominent New York mobster involved in the Harlem "numbers rackets" during the Harlem Renaissance.Reception
Narcisse was the driving force behind the downfall of the few sympathetic characters on Boardwalk Empire, particularly Albert "Chalky" White and Daughter Maitland. His motivations often stem from the need to be right or the thrill of antagonizing people, and is one of the few characters to never be shown in a good light. Although Wright joined the cast during the show's penultimate season, his character is often cited as one of the series' best villains.
