"'Cause life's about love! And life's about family!"
Character page for Coming to America and its sequel, Coming 2 America. open/close all folders
Zamunda
Joffer Family
Prince Akeem
Prince (later King) Akeem Joffer
"I'm the man you fell in love with. Should it matter that I am a prince?"
Played By: Eddie Murphy
Dubbed By: Med Hondo (European French)
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Every day, I have moved closer to the comfort of life, and now my eyes are open, and the man that I always wanted to be is on the other side of the world."
Son and heir of King Jaffe Joffer and Queen Aoleon of Zamunda, Akeem wishes to do more with his life than being pampered and being put in an arranged marriage.
- Arranged Marriage: King Jaffe betroths Akeem to Imani Izzi of Nextdooria. Akeem is not happy about this, primarily due to Imani being trained to be an Extreme Doormat.
- Atomic F-Bomb: "YES! YES! FUCK YOU TOO!!!", but said in a joyful mood.
- Became Their Own Antithesis: Akeem started out as wide-eyed and free-spirited. 30 years later and he's become as stern and traditionalist as his father.
- Burger Fool: Works in fast food restaurant McDowell's to get close to the owner's daughter.
- Chekhov's Skill: His talent with a combat staff comes in handy when someone tries to rob McDowell's.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Akeem happily shouts "Good morning, my neighbors!" on his first morning in Queens, someone across the streets shouts "Hey, fuck you!". Akeem mistakes it for a greeting, and shouts "Yes! Fuck you, too!".
- Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Akeem is this to both protagonists of Trading Places:
- Eddie Murphy's other character, Billy Ray Valentine, was a poor man who's suddenly thrown into the world of the wealthy. Akeem is a wealthy prince who throws himself into the world of the working poor.
- Louis Winthorpe is a snobby wealthy man with prejudiced attitudes towards the poor and becomes miserable without his wealth. Akeem is kindhearted and has grown weary of being pampered in wealth and welcomes a break from it.
- Covert Pervert: When Akeem is railing against the oppressively confining rigidity of his life of wealth and privilege, he does have to concede that he is not entirely opposed to the "bathing". It's hard to blame him too much, really.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: He may come off as naive and socially awkward (at least in the ways of America), but act up around him and put a staff (or mop handle) in his hand, you're gonna get an ass whuppin'.
- Defector from Decadence: The main plot of the first film hinges on the prince fleeing his fabulously wealthy nation to find true love.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Akeem wants a woman who'll love him for who he is, rather than settling for somebody that never questions or challenges him. He finds her.
- Funny Foreigner: He initially comes off as this to Lisa, her family, and just about everyone else in Queens.
- Hollywood Tone-Deaf: He sings "To Be Loved" loudly and off-key after his first date with Lisa.
- Important Haircut: Parodied when Akeem asks for an "American haircut". The barber simply cuts off his ponytail and it takes less than a second."That'll be $8!"
- In-Series Nickname: Saul refers to him as "Kunta".
- Innocent Swearing:
- "What does "dumbfuck" mean?"
- "Yes! Yes! Fuck you, too!!!"
- King Incognito: He and Semmi travel to New York under the guise of poor college students. Taken a step further when Semmi lies about which one of them is really the prince.
- Nice Guy: Akeem is unfailingly mannerly, modest and civil to everyone he meets.
- Not So Above It All: When Akeem is railing against the oppressively confining rigidity of his life of wealth and privilege, he does concede that he is not entirely opposed to having his gorgeous female servants bathe him every day.
- Real Men Have Short Hair: He already has short hair, but also sports a princely braid at the back of his head. It eventually crosses his mind that he could get rid of it. He eventually goes to the barbershop, where he only tells Clarence the barber to just make his hair look nice and neat; the barber cuts the braid off and asks for eight dollars for the job.
- Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Averted; despite initially being naive, Akeem adjusts well to a life working minimum wage.
- Spoiled Sweet: A very rare male example with Akeem, who as the Crown Prince of Zamunda is absurdly spoiled. Gorgeous topless women bathe him. He does not even have to wipe his own butt after pooping. And yet somehow he's as nice as he could possibly be.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: In the sequel he has begun to behave more like King Jaffe did: treating his wife and children in a regal but demeaning manner, refusing to allow Meeka to be his heir due to her being a woman and trying to force Lavelle into an Arranged Marriage like Jaffe once did to him. This is somewhat justified due to his newfound responsibility as king (he admits to trying to deal with problems by his father's methods), and the threat of General Izzi declaring war on Zamunda hanging over his head. Despite this, he comes around by the end, and reverts to his humble self we know and love.
King Jaffe
King Jaffe Joffer
"So you see, my son, there is a very fine line between love and nausea."
Played By: James Earl Jones
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Once again, I apologize to you for all of the shame and disappointment that my offspring’s genetic makeup has caused you. My son, it appears your shortcomings in masculinity have turned out to be unfounded."
The King of Zamunda, Jaffe, couldn't care less about breaking tradition and wants his son to follow in his footsteps.
- Actor Allusion: As King Jaffe Joffer, James Earl Jones tells Cleo McDowell "Do not alert him [Akeem] to my presence. I will deal with him myself.", referencing two different lines as Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
- Adipose Rex: He is one, seeing as he's played by James Earl Jones.
- And Starring: James Earl Jones gets the honorary "and" credit in the opening of the second movie.
- Attending Your Own Funeral: Literally. Knowing that his time is almost up, Jaffe arranges for his funeral to be held while he's still alive, in the royal palace of Zamunda.
- Authority Sounds Deep: It goes without saying when the exalted ruler of Zamunda and master of all he surveys (and a concerned dad) is played by James Earl Jones.
- Big Sleep: He just announces, "I'm going to die now" and nonchalantly shuts his eyes as he passes on.
- Brutal Honesty: He expresses things in a clear and accurate way, without attempting to disguise its unpleasantness.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Akeem discusses his reservations about getting married (pointing out that he's never even been outside the kingdom), his father assumes Akeem wants to bed as many women as possible before getting married.
- Dirty Old Man: Gleefully admits to his son that he has sex with his royal bathers.
- Forgot I Could Change the Rules: At the end, King Jaffe and Queen Aeoleon are arguing about what to do concerning their son. Jaffe insists that while he doesn’t want to see his son unhappy, tradition insists that he would not be able to marry Lisa anyway, and he can’t go against tradition. Aeoleon snidely retorts "I thought you were the King."
- Go Out with a Smile: In the sequel, he dies smiling while looking at Akeem.
- Jerkass Realization: Towards the end of the first film, Jaffe notices how saddened Akeem was at having to give up on love and agree to an arranged marriage. Aloleon convinces him to use his status as king to change the laws so that Akeem can marry Lisa.
- Large and in Charge: He's the King of Zamunda and a physically imposing man.
- Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome: His death from old age kicks off the plot of the second movie.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: In the sequel. He makes it clear in his final days that he has little respect for Akeem, completely hates Semmi, and is ashamed of his own granddaughters for not being men who can one day ascend the throne. It probably doesn't help that he hasn't had Queen Aoleon to act as his Morality Chain in his last years.
Queen Aoleon
Queen Aoleon Joffer
"I thought you were the King!"
Played By: Madge Sinclair
Appearances: Coming to America
"I only want our son to be happy."
The Queen of Zamunda, Aoleon, tends to speak hermind, putting her on good terms with Akeem.
- Funny Background Event: When Cleo offers King Jaffe a hors d'oeuvre, she can be seen struggling to get out of the reclining armchair Cleo plopped her into.
- Mama Bear: She does recognize the difficulties her son has over Zamundan traditions, and encourages any changes to these laws. Not only does she allow Jaffe to assume full responsibility of the rose petal throwers, she is also the one to allow Akeem and Lisa to marry.
- Posthumous Character / The Character Died With Her: Madge Sinclair's passing in 1995 saw to it that Aoleon would be absent from the sequel; it's all but explicitly stated that she has passed away. Otherwise, she’s referred to in past tense.
- Pretty in Mink: She wears a few gorgeous furs while she is in New York.
- Women Are Wiser: It is the Queen who tells King Jaffe to "put a sock in it" when he continues to block their son's pursuit of true love, and tells Akeem to run after her. She later compels her husband to change the law so that Akeem can marry Lisa. Years later, Cleo clarifies to Akeem that he always thought Aoleon was the wisest of all the Joffers.
Zamundans
Semmi
Semmi
"Defend yourself, you sweat from a baboon's balls."
Played By: Arsenio Hall
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Let me get this straight. You can have a woman that will obey your every command, but you want a woman who has an opinion!"
Akeem's close friend and aide.
- Burger Fool: While Akeem works at fast food joint McDowell's to meet his future bride, Semmi is there because he is Akeem's servant.
- City Mouse: He has the hardest time adjusting to life without riches, mostly because he doesn't want to even try.
- Deadpan Snarker: Semmi, and for the most part he doesn't even have to say anything... it's just his expressions.
- Hypocritical Humor: He snarks at Akeem getting overpowered by his own daughters, to which Akeem suggests Semmi try them on for size. Semmi immeditely excuses himself.
- King Incognito: Travels alongside Prince Akeem to America.
- A Man Is Always Eager: In the first film, he bemoans to Akeem that he hasn't had sex since they left Zamunda.
- Oh, Crap!: When he finds King Jaffe at his door.
- Out of Focus: He is much less plot-relevant in the second movie compared to the first.
- Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Unlike Akeem, Semmi is unaccustomed to living without privilege in America, spends much of the film whining like a Spoiled Brat whenever he has to do labor, and lies about his status to Lisa's sister Patrice so he can get better treatment (he claims that he's the prince and that Akeem is the servant).
- The Scream: When Semmi opens the door to apartment 1A, revealing the King and entourage.
- Spit Take: Semmi does one after being hit on in a bar by a Creepy Crossdresser... that wasn't supposed to be a crossdresser. "She" was played by Arsenio Hall,
hitting on himself. - You Fight Like a Cow: Taunts Akeem during their friendly sparring match at the beginning of the first film.
Oha
Oha
♫ It's hard for me to say what's right
When all she wants to do is wrong! ♫
When all she wants to do is wrong! ♫
Played By: Paul Bates
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
♫ She's your queen-to-be
A vision of perfection
An object of affection
To quench your royal fire! ♫
A vision of perfection
An object of affection
To quench your royal fire! ♫
- Herald: He answers to King Jaffe Joffer and announces his presence.
- Vocal Dissonance: While he may look imposing, his singing voice heavily contrasts this, being more effeminate.
Baba
Baba
Played By: Arsenio Hall
Appearances: Coming 2 America
An elder of Zamunda.
- The Cuckoolander Was Right: His prophecies turn out to be true, despite what everybody thinks. When he tells Akeem that Lavelle can be found by "follow[ing] the thunderbird", Semmi brushes it off as nonsense. It turns out to link towards Lavelle's basketball ticket-scalping operation, since the mascot of St. John's Red Storm is that same animal.
- Remember the New Guy?: Despite being a core member of Zamunda's royal court, he only makes his first appearance in the second film.
- Witch Doctor: A shaman member of Zamunda's royal court and induces a fugue state that forces Akeem to remember the night that Lavelle was conceived.
Mirembe
Mirembe
"Please allow me the honor of trimming your most precious hairs."
Played By: Nomzamo Mbatha
Appearances: Coming 2 America
"Okay, this is going to sound stupid, but it has always been a dream of mine to… to one day have my own barbershop."
A royal groomer of Zamunda, who becomes friends with Lavelle and eventually his wife.
- Humble Goal: Her one wish in life is to become a hairdresser in her own barbershop.
- I Can't Believe a Guy Like You Would Notice Me: Mirembe was not prepared for Lavelle's romantic interest in her.
- Nice Girl: Mirembe is very friendly and open-minded.
The Princesses
General
Akeem and Lisa's daughters and the Princesses of Zamunda.
- Action Girl: All three are skilled fighters and can take down opponents twice their size with ease.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Downplayed. Meeka and Ooma are more serious and down-to-earth, while the youngest Tinashe, while competent, is more flighty and innocent.
Princess Meeka
Princess Meeka Joffer
Played By: KiKi Layne
Appearances: Coming 2 America
Akeem and Lisa's firstborn.
- Cool Big Sis: This to Ooma and Tinashe.
- The Dutiful Daughter: Being the eldest child, she has dedicated her whole life to becoming a great Queen, and is shown to be quite promising for the part, being smart, capable, and brave. Which is why she's so upset when people want Lavelle as heir.
Princess Ooma
Princess Ooma Joffer
Played By: Bella Murphy
Appearances: Coming 2 America
Akeem and Lisa's middle child.
- Soapbox Sadie: Implied and downplayed. She is invested in helping the environment, as seen when Cleo introduces a new burger made of grass to his restaurant in her honor to reduce their carbon footprint.
Princess Tinashe
Princess Tinashe Joffer
Played By: Akiley Love
Appearances: Coming 2 America
Akeem and Lisa's youngest child.
- Oblivious Younger Sibling: Downplayed; Tinashe doesn't quite understand why her father is making her half-brother Lavelle heir instead of her older sister Meeka, who seems more fit for the role. Her obliviousness can come off as more aware than the sexist thinkers of Zamunda.
Nexdoria
General Izzi
General Izzi
"Then let us proceed! A semiautomatic shotgun wedding it will be!"
Played By: Wesley Snipes
Appearances: Coming 2 America
"It is better to be bound by blood and marriage, than be divided by blood and war."
- Aesop Amnesia: In the sequel, his family has apparently learned nothing from Akeem's rejection of their suit on the grounds of incompatibility and General Izzi's daughter is just like Imani.
- Affably Evil: For all of his threats of waging war with Zamunda, Izzi is perfectly willing to give Akeem any number of alternatives to war.
- Big Bad: For the second film. His threats against Zamunda kick off the plot since Akeem has to find a viable heir before Izzi invades.
- Remember the New Guy?: He's Imani's older brother, but hasn't been mentioned until now.
Imani
Imani Izzi
"Whatever you like!"
Played By: Vanessa Bell Calloway
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Am I not all you dreamed I would be?"
The arranged bride of Akeem, whose only interests are to satisfy him.
- Alliterative Name: Imani Izzi.
- Extreme Doormat: She has no opinions of her own, which is one of the reasons Akeem is put off by her.
- Offscreen Inertia: In the sequel, she's still hopping on one foot, barking like a dog.
- Parent-Preferred Suitor: King Jaffe would prefer her to marry Akeem over Lisa.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Akeem turning down her hand, which lead her to being mentally scarred from barking like a dog, sets the Nexdoria plot in motion for the sequel.
Idi
Idi Izzi
Played By: Rotimi
Appearances: Coming 2 America
General Izzi's son.
- Alliterative Name: Idi Izzi.
- Prince Charmless: There's a reason Meeka refuses to marry him.
Bopoto
Bopoto Izzi
Played By: Teyana Taylor
Appearances: Coming 2 America
General Izzi's daughter.
- Extreme Doormat: Like her aunt, she has no opinions or goals of her own.
- Generation Xerox: Zig-zagged. She takes more after her paternal aunt than her parents, as her conversation with Lavelle is almost exactly like Imani's first conversation with Akeem, both girls blindly agreeing with everything their fiancé said.
- Head-Turning Beauty: Lavelle notices her sex appeal on sight and initially considers marrying her, but the time spent preparing for his rite of passage allows Lavelle to have second thoughts and choose a bride he connects with on more than just a physical level.
Queens
McDowell Family
Lisa
Lisa McDowell
"It's nice to be with a man who knows how to express himself."
Played By: Shari Headley
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"You were supposed to change things. You were supposed to bring this kingdom to the 21st century, but instead, you push our daughter aside, someone who has dedicated her life to this country. And because she’s a woman, she can’t be your heir?"
- Fairytale Wedding Dress: Lisa's dress has a crinoline around six feet wide and a train at least fifty feet long.
- Happily Married: To Akeem in the sequel. Despite some friction caused by finding out he has a son with another woman, their love for each other is still going strong after thirty years of marriage.
Cleo
Cleo McDowell
"You're not just a father. You're the king. And heavy lies the head that wears the crown."
Played By: John Amos
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"When I was growing up, nine of us lived in a shack no bigger than this room. Look what I have today."
Father of Lisa and Patrice McDowell, Cleo runs the restaurant of McDowell's, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain fast food chain...
- Demoted to Extra: Egregiously so. He has little screen time in the sequel, only turning up a few times to dispense some words of advice to Akeem and to remind everyone yet again that McDowell's is in no way related to McDonald's. He can also be spotted sitting with the rest of the family at Jaffe’s funeral, but he has no dialogue.
- Foil: To King Joffer. Both men try to force their children to marry someone they don't want to, and can be stubborn and insensitive hardasses at their worst. The difference is that Cleo relents because he wants what's best for his daughters and is touched by Akeem’s devotion to Lisa, while Jaffe caves because his wife convinces him to change the law. Their backgrounds are also different, with Joffer being born into money while Cleo is a Self-Made Man. The sequel sees Cleo develop a loving relationship with Akeem and Lisa's three daughters, while Jaffe is completely ashamed of them for not being men.
- Nice Guy: By the time of the second movie he's become this, being a loving grandfather and treating Akeem like his own son. One could even say he's a better father-figure to Akeem than Akeem's actual father.
- Papa Wolf: Insult his daughters at your own peril. When King Jaffe tries to buy him off and says that the McDowells are beneath him, Cleo threatens to "break his foot in [Jaffe's] royal ass."
- Screw the Money, I Have Rules!: For all his efforts to push his daughters marrying into money, he turns down King Jaffe's bribe of two million dollars after having his daughters insulted.
- Self-Made Man: Grew up in a slum and runs a successful restaurant. One of the reasons why he wants his daughters to marry well is that he doesn't want them to struggle like he did.
- Took a Level in Kindness: He's mellowed out considerably in the sequel. Though he was never a bad guy to begin with, just incredibly opportunistic.
Patrice
Patrice McDowell
"How come Lisa always gets the good ones?"
Played By: Allison Dean
Appearances: Coming to America
Lisa McDowell's sister, Patrice intends to find herself a boyfriend... even if it takes multiple tries to do so.
- All Women Are Lustful: As she believes, and it definitely holds true of her. In a single movie, she hits on Akeem, Semmi and eventually Darryl.
- Gold Digger: Her hypergamy is made apparent when she thinks Semmi is a prince. She later latches onto Darryl for the same reasons.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Patrice is nowhere to be seen in the sequel and no mention is made as to what happened to her or how she coped with her father and sister moving to Zamunda.
Barbershop
General
- Running Gag: Clarence and Morris' dislike — and Sweets' admiration — of Randy Watson.
- True Companions: They may bicker non-stop, but how many other people can say they've spent at least thirty years in each other's company?
- Vague Age: Just how old are they supposed to be in the sequel again? They don't seem to have aged much at all.
- According to Eddie Murphy, they're supposed to be in their late 80s to early 90s, meaning they would have been in their late 50s to early 60s in the first movie (which also makes them a case of Younger Than They Look).
- Vitriolic Best Buds: They're constantly arguing, but they clearly enjoy each other's company enough to spend at least 30 years working together (and in Saul's case, hanging out) in the barbershop.
Clarence
Clarence
Played By: Eddie Murphy
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"I'm the king of this shop!"
- Because You Were Nice to Me: In the sequel, it's shown that Akeem had a strong enough rapport with Clarence to where he keeps a photo of him on the fireplace (along with other loved ones) in his Zamundan palace.
- Berserk Button: Challenging Joe Louis' status as the greatest boxer or his own as meeting famous people is always met with yelling and profanity.Sweets: Man, you ain't never met no Frank Sinatra.
Clarence: Fuck you! Fuck you! And fuck you! - Motor Mouth: A staple of Eddie Murphy characters, granted.
- Vocal Evolution: His voice is less screechy in the sequel, likely due to him (and Murphy) growing older.
Morris
Morris
Played By: Arsenio Hall
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"He's got a point. Cassius Clay was a bad motherfucker."
- Character Tics: He is seen eating something in every scene he's in. Even at the party in Zamunda in the second movie.
Sweets
Sweets
Played By: Clint Smith
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Man, you ain't never met no Frank Sinatra."
- Character Catchphrase: "That boy good!"
- Only One Finds It Fun: He's the only barber who enjoys Randy Watson's performance at the Black Awareness Rally. And then again at the party in Zamunda.
- Vocal Evolution: His voice is deeper and raspier in the sequel.
Saul
Saul
Played By: Eddie Murphy
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Well then, you're a putz. The three of you. Three putzes. You should change the name outside from My-T-Sharp to The Three Putzes."
An old Jewish man who hangs out at the barbershop.
- Alter Kocker: The page image for this trope!
- Character Catchphrase: "Vat is dat, velvet?"
- Jews Love to Argue: All the men at the barbershop are guilty of arguing, but it's Saul who provokes most of it.
- Never Bareheaded: Saul is always seen wearing a brown fedora.
- Token White: The only white person at the barbershop. Also the only one who doesn't actually work there.
Other Queens Residents
Reverend Brown
Reverend Brown
"You know there's a god who sits on high and looks down low!"
Played By: Arsenio Hall
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"God woke me up early this morning! He said, if you ain't got somebody to love, go out and find somebody to love!"
- Chewing the Scenery: He chews every scene he is in, proclaiming his love for God in many unique ways.
- Dirty Old Man: Definitely has an eye for the ladies, even if said ladies are young enough to be his granddaughters. Enjoys his job as host of the beauty pageant waaaay too much for a man of the cloth.
- Vague Age: Just like the barbers, he appears to be at least in his sixties circa 1988, only to still be active 30 years later.
Randy Watson
Randy Watson
"Sexual Chocolate! They play fine, don't you agree?"
Played By: Eddie Murphy
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
♫ We are family
I got Sexual Chocolate with me! ♫
I got Sexual Chocolate with me! ♫
- '80s Hair: That Jheri Curl is an anachronistic mess.
- Disco Dan: Randy didn't update his fashion sense with the times, which makes him look especially pathetic given how badly he's aged.
- Hollywood Tone-Deaf: Never met a song he couldn't butcher.
- Vocal Evolution: Randy used to have a fairly deep singing voice, but years later he's become much more screechy.
Darryl Jenks
Darryl Jenks
"I'm all for that. Especially with women. You know, they may not admit it, but they want a man to take charge. Tell them what to do. "
Played By: Eriq La Salle
Appearances: Coming to America
- Blatant Lies: Played with. When Lisa asks him if he was the one who donated the huge wad of cash for the park restoration, he just says "You know me too well!". So while he takes advantage of her assumption, he doesn't technically lie...
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Towards the end, after he's been (almost literally) kicked to the curb, and he realizes Patrice is trying to have sex with him.
- Derailing Love Interests: Handled realistically with Darryl. He's always nice to Lisa and her family and doesn't cheat on her. That never changes, but the dismissive and rude way he treats everyone else he deems beneath him says much more about his true character. During the dinner party scene, Darryl makes it clear that while he does love Lisa, he is also a sexist who believes that women want to be told what to do. His lie to her father about her accepting his proposal probably didn't help either (he hadn't even actually proposed yet).
- '80s Hair: An incredibly greasy mop.
- Idiot Ball: Did this guy seriously not consider that setting up his "engagement" to Lisa behind her back might irk her just a tiny bit?
- Apparently not; his beliefs about women are exposed before said "engagement" in a conversation with Akeem:
Akeem: Where I'm from, we have to be very aggressive.Darryl: I'm all for that. Especially with women. You know, they may not admit it, but they want a man to take charge. Tell them what to do. (Cue the "engagement" scene)- On this evidence, Imani - a bride who says yes to all kinds of orders - would probably be a better match for Darryl.
- Jerkass: An arrogant Spoiled Brat and misogynist.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Downplayed. He isn't really a villain so much as a big Jerkass, but he looks down on women and people from Africa.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: No mention is made as to what happened to him or how he reacted to Lisa and her father relocating to Zamunda in the sequel.
Maurice
Maurice
"We are also celebrating the arrival of our new Beyond Big Mick Burger!"
Played By: Louie Anderson
Appearances: Coming to America | Coming 2 America
"Hey, I started out mopping the floor just like you guys. But now... now I'm washing lettuce. Soon I'll be on fries; then the grill. In a year or two, I'll make assistant manager, and that's when the big bucks start rolling in."
A worker at McDowell's, who plans on rising up the ranks in due time.
- Butt-Monkey: Nothing goes right for him at McDowell's. He is slammed by a door while preparing a chocolate milkshake, spilling it. And when he is preparing another milkshake for another customer, Cleo takes it when Darryl arrives, to give it to him.
- Determinator: Despite the bad luck he deals with in McDowell's, he still has hopes to secure a higher position in this business.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: In the first movie, he mentioned that he wishes to become McDowell's assistant manager at best. But by the second movie, he has become more than that. He is now the manager!
Lavelle
Lavelle Johnson
"I’m not like every other prince. Remember? I'm a prince from Queens."
Played By: Jermaine Fowler
Appearances: Coming 2 America
"You come from a long line of Joffers, and... I come from a long line of broke-ass nobodies."
A ticket scalper who learns that he is the illegitimate son of Akeem, and thus heir to the throne of Zamunda.
- Black Sheep: He is first regarded as this in his paternal family, as he is the illegitimate son of the King, and he acts crude and gangster-like due to being brought up in the slums of Queens rather than growing up royal like his half-sisters.
- Disappointing Older Sibling: He is regarded as this by his paternal family at first, being the illegitimate son and a Fish out of Water. But over time, he proves himself more competent than first assumed and bonds with his half-sisters.
- Fish out of Water: He initially has trouble fitting in to the Zamundian court, since he was born and raised in Queens.
- Heroic Bastard: He's the deuteragonist of the sequel, and illegitimate.
- Uptown Girl: Serves as a male example to Mirembe.
Mary
Mary Johnson
Played By: Leslie Jones
Appearances: Coming 2 America
Lavelle's mother whom Akeem had a one night stand with, resulting in Lavelle's conception.
- Really Gets Around: She openly admits she was a "ho" back in the day, and her whole family agrees.
- Remember the New Guy?: Mary was part of the Terrible Interviewees Montage in the first film, which went on somewhat longer than what was depicted in the first film.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: She is this with Lisa. At first, Lisa keeps her at arm's length, due to her being her husband's babymama. But over time, Lisa grows fond of her.
Reem
Reem Johnson
Played By: Tracy Morgan
Appearances: Coming 2 America
"See, you watch your bottom lip, money grip, 'cause you understand, while y'all was out here riding elephants and chasing Tarzan, I was schooling this boy on the streets of Queens."
Lavelle's uncle and Mary's brother.
- Parental Substitute: He was Lavelle's father figure while he was growing up.
