Howard Charles and Nicholas Pinnoc to Lead New STARZ Series FIGHTLAND

The lead cast has been revealed for STARZ's “Fightland,” the new high-octane scripted drama set in the cutthroat, high-stakes, cash-rich world of British boxing. The show recently commenced production in London.

Otto Bathurst (“Peaky Blinders,” “Black Mirror”) has been confirmed as director for the first two episodes, and Sebastian Thiel (“Supacell,” “Dreaming Whilst Black”) has been confirmed as a director on season one.  

Howard Charles (“Top Boy,” “Whitstable Pearl”) will take on the lead role of “Maduka ‘Duke’ Kilroy,” a former heavyweight world champion who, after a traumatic tragedy, returns home to London to enact revenge. Nicholas Pinnock (Hedda, For Life) has been cast as Kingsley Marshall, a man with many enemies, he is a Jamaican born, South London bred criminal kingpin with his fingers in the worlds of boxing and gambling. 

Deborah Ayorinde (THEM, “Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue”) will play the role of “Joy Marshall,” Kingsley Marshall’s wife who is trying to build her own empire. Charles Babalola (“The Outlaws,” “Black Mirror”) has been cast in the role of “Ezekiel ‘Zeek' Marshall,” the brash and unpredictable son of Kingsley Marshall.

Anita-Joy Uwajeh (“Vampire Academy,” “Atlanta”) will play “Cebella ‘Cece’ Marshall,” the highly intelligent, business-savvy daughter of Kingsley Marshall, who runs the Marshalls’ gambling operation. Tahirah Sharif (“The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “The Tower”) will play “Kim Harper,” a confident ring card girl entrenched in the London boxing world who befriends Duke upon his return to London.

Tyler Conti (“The Gentleman,” “Tell Me Everything”) will play “Justin ‘Jay’ Hall,” Duke’s best friend whose life has hit the skids in Duke’s absence. Duke’s return is a chance for Jay to rekindle their friendship, make amends and start anew. Richard Pepple (“The Hack,” “Gangs of London”) will play “Gary ‘Gazzer’ Kilroy,” Duke’s estranged father who runs a community boxing gym in Streatham, London where he trains amateur fighters. 

“Fightland” follows a disgraced, formerly incarcerated boxing champion who returns to London to seek vengeance against the crime family he thinks betrayed him. With edge-of-seat action and populated by dangerous characters, this is a world of money and power never seen before.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will executive produce through his G-Unit Film & Television, along with Francis Hopkinson (“Wallander,” “Bancroft”) and Kate Leadbetter (“Woman in White,” “Catherine the Great”) of Expanded Media who will also produce.  The series also reunites STARZ with Damione Macedon (“Power,” “BMF,” “Genius: MLK/X”) and Raphael Jackson Jr. (“Power,” “BMF,” “Genius: MLK/X”) who will serve as showrunners, executive producers and writers. Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan and Marlon Smith will serve as executive producers and writers.

Howard Charles Photo Credit: Yazzmin Newell

Nicholas Pinnock Photo Credit: Joseph Sinclair