Preston Broadus | |
---|---|
First appearance | "The Target" (episode 1.01) |
Last appearance | "Final Grades" (episode 4.13) |
Created by | David Simon |
Portrayed by | J.D. Williams |
Information | |
Aliases | Bodie |
Occupation | Crew Chief |
Family | Unnamed grandmother James (brother, deceased) |
Preston "Bodie" Broadus is a fictional character on the HBO drama series The Wire, played by actor J. D. Williams. Bodie is initially a rough, low-level drug dealer, but matures throughout the series and slowly rises through the ranks. Bodie is an intelligent and disciplined lieutenant, showing strong loyalty to the Barksdale Organization even after most of its members get imprisoned or killed. Bodie is a relatively goodhearted character who sticks to his principles, but at times he can be violent, such as when he takes part in the murder of a friend and fellow dealer on orders from Stringer Bell. His relationship with the police is also dynamic. He is initially hostile towards all police, but eventually earns the respect of Officer Jimmy McNulty. He is also the only charter to move his crew from the Barksdale Organization to the Marlo Stanfield crew.
Preston "Bodie" Broadus was raised by his grandmother after his mother fell into addiction and homelessness, dying when he was four years old. Bodie's grandmother says that when she took him in, "he was only four, but even then, I knew he was angry." He began working with the Barksdales at age 13. His older brother James was also a gangster, but was killed early in Bodie's life, depriving him of immediate familial support.
Bodie, aged 16, worked under D'Angelo Barksdale in the low-rise projects known as "The Pit", with his friends Poot and Wallace. He was a more prominent member of the area, and was also more openly violent and hostile than his peers. This caused Bodie to chafe under D'Angelo's soft style of leadership and lead him to sometimes challenge his authority. When The Pit's stash was robbed, he made a positive impression on Stringer Bell by noticing the name of the stick-up artist, Omar Little, and describing the van.