Kevin Hart’s true-crime miniseries Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist premiered Thursday on Peacock, complete with an all-star cast.
The eight-episode limited series tells the true story of Muhammad Ali’s return to boxing in 1970 and an after-party that led to one of the biggest robberies in Atlanta’s history. Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams (Hart) is determined to make Atlanta the black mecca of the United States and finds himself caught between established gangsters and calculating robbers.
The series is based on iHeart Radio’s true crime podcast “Fight Night,” created and hosted by Jeff Keating. Will Packer Media produced the podcast and also executive produced the series along with Hartbeat Productions.
Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle and Taraji P. Henson join Hart in bringing this true story to life on screen. Read on to see the full cast list and a description of the real-life characters they portray.
Kevin Hart as Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams
Hart turns away from comedy to play Atlanta gangster Chicken Man in the crime series. When a group of moneyed gamblers descend on Atlanta for the Muhammad Ali fight, Chicken uses the attention to bring wealth and fame to his city. His goal is to create a black mecca in Atlanta, and he sees gangster Frank Moten and his crew as his ticket. Hart was executive producer of Fight Night through his production company Hartbeat. The comedian is best known for his acting roles in Jumanji, Night School and Ride Along.
Don Cheadle as J.D. Hudson
The Oscar nominee plays JD Hudson, one of the first black officers to join the Atlanta police force. Detective Hudson was Ali’s bodyguard in the 1970 fight against Jerry Quarry and was later named lead investigator in the armed robbery. Cheadle is best known for his role as James Rhodes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the “Iron Man” series and “Avengers: Infinity War.” He has also appeared in “Hotel Rwanda” and “Crash.”
Samuel L. Jackson as Frank Moten
The “Django” actor plays New York gangster Frank Moten. Moten is one of the most powerful black gangsters in the country and comes to town for the Ali fight. After attending an after-party with an invitation from Chicken, he finds himself in an unusually tricky situation. Jackson, the highest-grossing actor of all time, whose films have grossed $5.8 billion domestically, is best known for his roles in “Pulp Fiction,” “Jurassic Park” and as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Taraji P. Henson as Vivian Thomas
The “Empire” star plays Vivian Thomas, whom she calls Chicken’s “partner with benefits.” The two are active in the Atlanta hustle scene and team up to throw the best after-party for Ali’s fight. Henson is best known for her roles in “Hidden Figures,” “The Color Purple” and “Hustle & Flow.” The actress previously worked with Will Packer, executive producer of “Fight Night.” She was also nominated for an Oscar for her role in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
Terrence Howard as Cadillac Richie
The Oscar nominee plays Cadillac Richie, a New Jersey gangster and colleague of Frank Moten. Howard has worked with several members of the “Fight Night” cast in the past. He starred alongside Henson in “Empire” and for his Oscar-nominated performance in “Hustle & Flow,” and later passed his role as James Rhodes in the MCU to Cheadle. Howard is best known for his performances in the first “Iron Man” and “Crash.”
Chloe Bailey as Lena
The singer and actress plays Lena, a key player in the armed robbery on the night of Ali’s fight in 1970. Bailey rose to fame as one half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle. The two have released two studio albums together and have since pursued amicable separate careers as actors and musicians. Bailey recently starred in the Peacock original movie Praise This.
Dexter Darden as Muhammad Ali
Darden plays one of the greatest boxers of all time and the man who sparked the armed robbery, Muhammad Ali. After intense scrutiny for refusing to enlist in the Vietnam War, Ali agreed to fight him in Atlanta despite nationwide discontent with Jerry Quarry. JD Hudson (Cheadle) is appointed as Ali’s bodyguard. Darden is best known for his role as Frypan in the Maze Runner series.
Sinqua Walls as McKinley (Mac) Rogers
Walls plays Mac, one of the masterminds of the armed robbery. As one of the leaders of the robbery, he protects his co-conspirators and his family at home. The actor has been a recurring guest star on “Teen Wolf,” “Friday Night Lights,” and “Secret Life of the American Teenager.” Most recently, Walls played Kamal in the 2023 remake of “White Boys Don’t Kill” airing on Hulu.
Myles Bullock as Willie Black
Bullock plays one of the armed robbers, Willie Black. He joins Mac and several others to stage the legendary “million dollar heist.” The actor starred alongside Rogers in 2023’s White Guys Don’t Cut It and starred in the Starz black mafia drama BMF.
Artrece Johnson as Faye Williams
Johnson plays Faye Williams, Chicken Man’s wife and mother of three. The star is a grounded force amidst all the chaos of the heist. She is protective of her family and children above all else and is to some extent lenient with Chicken’s antics. Johnson has appeared in episodes of “Law & Order: SVU,” “FBI: Most Wanted” and “P-Valley.”
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