Kevin Hart leads a starry cast of characters in Peacock’s new crime drama miniseries,Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist. As its title suggests, the series isbased on an exceptionally ambitious heist, previously documented in iHeart Radio’s similarly titled true-crime podcast helmed and hosted by Jeff Keating. Both recount the true-to-life events of a shocking armed robbery that occurred the night of Muhammad Ali’s first professional boxing match after being banned from the sport for years as a result of refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
The stakes were high not only for the renowned boxer’s comeback but for a crowd who gathered to celebrate Ali’s historic fight at an ill-fated afterparty targeted by thieves.Fight Nightseries creator Shaye Ogbonna brings together an assemblage of big-name actors and TV newcomers to depict all parties involved in the catastrophein what’s looking to be one of the most excitingTV shows on Peacock’s September slate.Fight Night’sfirst three episodes are available now to stream, and subsequent episodes will be released every Thursday for viewers to witness how the rest of the story unfolds.
Lamar
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist Official Trailer
Peacock releases the first trailer for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, featuring a star-studded cast of Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson and more.
Kevin Hart As Gordon ‘Chicken Man’ Williams
Date Of Birth: June 20, 2025
Actor:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hart began his career winning stand-up comedy competitions.His first breakthrough into acting occurredin a recurring role alongside Seth Rogen and Jason Segalin Judd Apatow’s sitcom comedyUndeclared. Hart’s comedic reputation grew exponentially in the 2000s thanks to the release of his stand-up comedy specials, i.e.,I’m A Grown Little ManandLaugh At My Pain,and roles in comedy films such asSoul PlaneandLittle Fockers. Now an exceptionally distinguished comedian and actor, Hart can be seen leading big-budget movies, likeJumanji, and hosting his own talk show,Hart to Heart.
Die Hart(2023)
Kevin Hart
Character:Kevin Hart playsFight Night’smain character, Gordan ‘Chicken Man’ Williams, a hustler with big dreams for himself and the city of Atlanta. Equippedwith the aspiration of being the harbinger of bringing wealth and notoriety to his city, Chicken Man partners with big-money gangsters to organize a massive house partythe night of Ali’s comeback fight. However, a group of calculated robbers targets Chicken Man’s party, leaving him to face a tarnished reputation and the ire of the members of the Black mafia he collaborated with to bring the celebration to fruition.
Taraji P. Henson As Vivian Thomas
Date Of Birth: July 17, 2025
Actor:Golden Globe-winning and Tony, Emmy, and Academy multi-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson hails from Washington, D.C. After studying acting at Howard University, Henson made her film debut in the 1998 crime thrillerStreetwise.Her breakthrough role came a few years later when she appeared as Yvette in John Singleton’sBaby Boy(2001), leading to a string of prominent 2000-era roles in films, includingHustle & Flow,Four Brothers, andThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button,for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination. Since then, Henson has starred in huge projects, such as the hit TV showEmpireandThe Color Purpleremake.
The Color Purple(2023)
Shug Avery
Character:Taraji P. Henson stars as Chicken Man’s right-hand woman and mistress, Vivian Thomas.Together, Vivian and Chicken Man run the hustling scene in Atlantabefore devising their plan to host the best party the city’s ever seen, which they dub “Black Vegas.” Vivian’s role in their agenda is to prepare her house for such an ambitious gathering - though her efforts quickly take a turn for the unfortunate when the venue becomes the site of a crime involving over 100 guests and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Don Cheadle As J.D. Hudson
Date Of Birth: June 12, 2025
Actor:Kansas City, Missouri nativeDon Cheadle began his career in the ’80s with small roles in TV shows and movies, such asFameandHamburger Hill,before garnering attention for his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington inDevil in a Blue Dress(1995). For that, Cheadle was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics, his first major accolade toward an incredible career distinguished by many awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe win for his part inHouse of Lies.Above all, Cheadle is best known for his long-standing role as theMCU’s James Rhodes.
Miles Ahead(2015)
Miles Davis
Character:Don Cheadle plays J.D. Hudson inFight Night, one of the first Black officers appointed to the police force in Atlanta. When Ali arrives in Atlanta for his momentous fight against Jerry Quarry, Hudson leads his protection detail.Hudson’s efforts at keeping Ali out of harm’s way prove successful, so much so he’s later appointed as the lead detective on the notorious armed robbery casethat transpired because of Chicken Man’s party.
PerForbes, J.D. Hudson and Gordon ‘Chicken Man’ Williams reunited in 2004 to talk about the case. At that time, Hudson admitted to believing Chicken Man was innocent.
Samuel L. Jackson As Frank Moten
Date Of Birth: June 18, 2025
Actor:Samuel L. Jackson, the highest-grossing actor of all time (perIGN), was born in Washington, D.C. The prolific actor made his first appearance in 1972’sTogether for Daysbut truly broke out in the early 1990s with performances inJungle FeverandPulp Fiction. With almost 200 acting credits to his name,Jackson has become not only a cultural icon but has enough commended performances in his catalog that it’s a feat to pinpoint what he’s best known for. That said, some of his more notable movies includePulp Fiction,A Time to Kill, andDjango Unchained.
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Character:Samuel L. Jackson commands the screen as New York gangster Frank Moten inFight Night. As one of the most powerful gangsters in the country, Moten arrives in Atlanta to attend Ali’s fight alongside big-name celebrities like Sidney Poitier and Coretta Scott King.Moten entertains Chicken Man’s idea for an after-party and even attends. Exploited like the rest of Chicken Man’s guests, Moten becomes enraged and decides to hunt down the ringleader of the robbery.
Terrence Howard As Cadillac Richie
Date Of Birth: August 05, 2025
Actor:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Terrence Howard began his career as Justin in three episodes of the television soap operaAll My Children. In 1995,he nabbed his first big break in the Oscar-nominated filmMr. Holland’s Opusas athlete-turned-bass drum player Louis Russ. From there, Howard grew into prominence, particularly for his Oscar-nominated leading role in Craig Brewer’s crime dramaHustle & Flow. Howard is best known for his performances inHustle & FlowandCrash(2004) and, more recently, the Fox hit seriesEmpire.
Empire(2015-2020)
Lucious Lyon
Character:Howard features as New Jersey gangster Cadillac Richie. More than justone of Jersey’s biggest gangsters, Cadillac is a colleague of Motenand accompanies him on the ill-fated night of Ali’s fight. Similarly to Moten, Cadillac is not one to be messed with and feels slighted by Chicken Man’s catastrophe, causing him to join the hunt for those involved in carrying out the robbery.
Fight Night’s Supporting Cast & Characters
Fight Night’s Supporting Cast Includes Noteworthy Stars
Dexter Darden as Muhammad Ali:Dexter Darden plays the boxing icon ofFight Night’sstory, Muhammad Ali. Darden is best known for his role as Frypan in theMaze Runnerfilm franchise.
Atkins Estimond as Silky Brown:Recognizable for his TV roles inHightown,Lodge 49, andSwarm, Atkins Estimond appears as Chicken Man’s fellow crime partner, Silky Brown.
Sinqua Walls as McKinley “Mac” Rogers:Sinqua Walls' McKinley ‘Mac’ Rogers is one of the heist’s ringleaders, having helped concoct the scheme as a means to bring money back to his family at home. BeforeFight Night, Walls performed in series, such asThe Secret Life of the American Teenager,Power, andTeen Wolf.
Chloe Bailey as Lena Mosley:Chloe Bailey rose to fame as one half of the singing duo Chloe x Halle and has since performed in roles on big and small screens in titles includingLast HolidayandGrownish. InFight Night, Bailey guest stars as Lena Mosley, a significant player in the armed robbery heist.
Myles Bullock as Willie Black:Myles Bullock’s Willie Black serves as one of the armed robbers involved in the heist. Bullock is known for roles inBMF,Runaways, and Calmatic’s 2023White Men Can’t Jumpremake.
Artrece Johnson as Faye Williams:Artrece Johnson, who has previously appeared inFBI: Most WantedandP-Valley, plays Chicken Man’s wife and mother of three, Faye Williams.
Lori Harvey as Lola Falana:Lori Harvey plays the famed singer, dancer, and actor Lola Falana in the first scripted role of her career. While Harvey is new to small screens, she is known as a runway and campaign model.
Marsha Stephanie Blake as Delores Hudson:Marsha Stephanie Blake, an alum ofOrange is the New BlackandWhen They See Us, features as J.D. Hudson’s wife, Delores.
Teresa Celeste as Maxine:Maxine, a friend of Chicken Man’s and a guest at his party, is portrayed by Teresa Celeste, who can be seen in previous titles likeMillennialsandSeven Deadly Sins: Lust.
RonReaco Leeas Senator Leroy Johnson:RonReaco Lee, who’s previously had lengthy roles in series such asFirst Wives Club,Survivor’s Remorse, andSister, Sister, portrays Senator Leroy Johnson, the first Black man to be elected to the Georgia General Assembly since the end of the Reconstruction era.
Jayson Warner Smith as Herbert Turner Jenkins:Jayson Warner Smith ofThe Walking DeadandRectifyseries features as Atlanta’s chief of police.
Michael James Shaw as Lamar:Best known for his role in the MCU as Corvus Glaive and inThe Walking Deadas Michael Mercer, Michal James serves as Moten’s muscle guy inFight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist
Cast
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is a crime drama television series created for Peacock. Based on the true-crime podcast, the series recounts the night in 1970 when Muhammad Ali achieved a comeback, all the while a dangerous armed robbery changed the landscape of the city forever.
