Clean Slate cast and character guide: Who plays whom in Prime Video's latest comedy series?

Latest from the house of Prime Video, Clean Slate is a sitcom but with a rather unique premise. The show follows Desiree as she returns to her hometown in Alabama to reunite with her father, who is a loving old-school man and runs a car wash.

The catch here is that Desiree was not always a woman. When she left home 17 years back, she was a man, and now she has finally accepted her identity as a trans woman. This is a huge revelation for Desiree’s father, who had no idea that his son is returning home as a daughter.

With a great premise, Clean Slate also boasts a great cast featuring the likes of Laverne Cox, D. K. Uzoukwu, and Telma Hopkins, to name a few. Let us now explore the cast and character list of Clean Slate in detail to have a clear idea of who plays whom in the Prime Video show.

Clean Slate cast and character guide

Laverne Cox as Desiree

Laverne Cox captains Clean Slate as the protagonist Desiree, who has returned home to her father after not talking to him for many years. While her father expects to see his son who left home, she comes back as a trans woman.

Desiree’s art gallery funding failure leads her to her hometown from New York, and she takes up a job at her father’s car wash to sustain herself while also trying to understand the place she had left many years back.

Cox is hugely popular for her portrayal of Sophia Burset in Orange Is the New Black. She also has the credit of becoming the first transgender woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her acting. Her other projects include Promising Young Woman and Uglies.

D. K. Uzoukwu as Louis

D. K. Uzoukwu plays the role of Desiree’s best friend Louis, who lives with his mother. Despite being broke and closeted, he does not hesitate for a second to accept Desiree when she comes back home.

His character adds a sense of familiarity to the story and also works as a support system for Desiree as the two pick up right from where they had left off when Desiree had left home.

D. K. Uzoukwu’s breakout role came with HBO’s Insecure, a comedy-drama show. His other projects include The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, The Choir, The Brave, The Insecure, The Disinvited, etc.

Telma Hopkins as Ella

Telma Hopkins plays Louis' mother, Ella, and is also a close friend of Desiree’s father, Harry. She also is very accepting of Desiree and helps Harry to better fit in this situation and connect to his long-estranged child.

Ella’s character is given her own arc and is also shown to have a romantic interest in Harry. Since her son has not been totally honest with her, it would be interesting to see the mother-son dynamic as well.

Hopkins’ notable projects include Getting By, The Casagrandes, Are We There Yet?, Family Reunion, Half & Half, etc.

George Wallace as Harry

Besides serving as the creator of Clean Slate along with Laverne Cox and Dan Ewen, Wallace also stars in the show as Harry, Desiree’s father. He’s shown to be a loving and warm man residing in a tightly knit community in Alabama.

When his estranged child turns up back home with a completely changed identity, Harry also starts a process of transformation that could mend his relationship with his son, who is now a trans woman.

Wallace’s big break came with The Lady Killer by the Coen Brothers. His other popular roles include Mr. Washington’s character in The Wash and the character of Mayor in Batman Forever. Wallace has also featured in projects like Little Nicky, Hubie Halloween, 3 Strikes, etc.

Jay Wilkison as Mack

Jay Wilkison plays the role of Mack in Clean Slate, who works at Harry’s car wash and also is a potential love interest of Desiree.

He appears to be getting cozy with her, and his character hints at what Desiree might get out of life if she stays in her hometown. Mack is the sole provider for his 10-year-old daughter, and he frequently puts their relationship before everything else.

Jay Wilkison’s notable projects include Nurse Jackie, Younger, Rabbit Hole, etc.