Where You've Seen The Cast Of Samaritan Before
For over a decade now, superhero films have been dominating the box office. Despite the overwhelming amount of superhero content we've been getting in recent years, excitement for the genre doesn't appear to be fading. To capitalize on the demand, many major studios have been trying to produce unique superhero stories that are different from what's usually seen in Marvel or DC films.
One of the most recent results of this effort is Amazon and MGM's "Samaritan," which takes a more dark and gritty approach to the genre. It's directed by Australian filmmaker Julius Avery, who's best known for his work on the action-horror film "Overlord," and it's written by Bragi F. Schut, based on his 2014 graphic novel series. Set in the fictional crime-ridden city of Granite, the film follows a 13-year-old kid who suspects that his mysterious neighbor might actually be the legendary superhero Samaritan, who is widely thought to have died during a fight against the villain Nemesis.
The film is led by none other than action legend Sylvester Stallone, who is already acquainted with modern superhero movies having previously appeared as Stakar Ogord in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." He is joined by an ensemble cast of rising stars and talented veterans who you may or may not be familiar with. Read on if you want to know more about the cast of "Samaritan" and discover where you've seen them before.
Sylvester Stallone as Joe
Leading the cast of "Samaritan" is the ever-capable Sylvester Stallone as Joe, a seemingly normal garbage collector who's hiding a mysterious past. Stallone is best known for his iconic role as Rocky Balboa in the blockbuster "Rocky" franchise, which tells an underdog story about a working-class boxer from Philadelphia. The original 1976 film was Stallone's first big break as an actor and was also his screenwriting debut. For his work in the acclaimed hit, he was nominated for best actor and best original screenplay, while the film itself won best picture. Since then, he has portrayed Rocky Balboa in five more sequels and the "Creed" spin-off films.
After cementing his status as a movie star with the "Rocky" films, Stallone started getting leading roles in films throughout the '80s and '90s. His notable films during that time include the crime thriller "Nighthawks," the sports war film "Escape to Victory," the musical comedy "Rhinestone," the action film "Cobra," the buddy cop film "Tango & Cash," the sci-fi action flick "Demolition Man," the superhero film "Judge Dredd," and the action thriller "Daylight."
Besides being Rocky Balboa, Stallone is also synonymous with the character of Vietnam war veteran John J. Rambo in the successful "Rambo" franchise, which is the actor-filmmaker's second most memorable role. In the 2010s, he continued spearheading other film franchises such as "The Expendables" and "Escape Plan." Before appearing in "Samaritan," his most recent superhero film was James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad," in which he voices the fan-favorite character of Nanaue, aka King Shark.
Javon 'Wanna' Walton as Sam Cleary
Rising talent Javon "Wanna" Walton stars in "Samaritan" as Sam Cleary, the 13-year-old who discovers that he might be living next to a former superhero. Before venturing into acting, Walton made a name for himself in the world of boxing — he had earned a number of state and national championship titles by the age of 11. He's also a gifted gymnast, one out of four American kids in his age group to have been given the elite rank by USA Gymnastics, per Men's Health. He's currently balancing his rising acting career with his intense training for the 2024 Olympics, in which he plans to compete in both boxing and gymnastics.
In 2017, Walton made his television debut with a guest appearance on Steve Harvey's talk show "Steve," where he was able to show off his boxing prowess and tumbling skills. This guest spot ultimately led him to get discovered by casting director Jennifer Venditti, who gave Walton the opportunity to audition for HBO's hit teen drama "Euphoria." Afterward, he successfully scored his first major acting role as Ashtray, a capable child drug dealer who acts too old for his age. For his compelling performance in the first two seasons of the Zendaya-led drama, he became an instant fan-favorite.
Following "Euphoria," Walton nabbed two more TV roles in Prime Video's short-lived sci-fi drama "Utopia" and in Netflix's popular adaptation of "The Umbrella Academy." In 2020, he also got cast to voice Pugsley Addams in MGM's animated dark comedy "The Addams Family 2."
Pilou Asbæk as Cyrus
In "Samaritan," Pilou Asbæk plays Cyrus, the main antagonist who is the leader of the gang that has been terrorizing the citizens of Granite City. Asbæk is a Danish actor who began acting in 2008, when he got cast in the drama film "To Verdener" (released as "Worlds Apart" overseas). The following year, he made his television debut for a one-episode appearance in the Danish police drama "The Killing." Afterward, he landed his first major TV role as spin-doctor Kasper Juul in the acclaimed political drama "Borgen."
For "Game of Thrones" fans, Asbæk is a very familiar face, as he portrayed the role of Euron Greyjoy during the final three seasons of the popular HBO show. His character was introduced as a cunning and merciless pirate who doesn't give loyalty to anyone but himself. Due to his wicked performance in "Game of Thrones," it remains Asbæk's most memorable role to date, as it gave him international recognition. Following the show's conclusion, he reunited with Danish filmmaker Tobias Lindholm for the limited drama "The Investigation."
As for his film career, Asbæk's first leading role was in the prison drama film "R." In 2010, he made his American big screen debut with the biographical drama "The Whistleblower," a movie led by Rachel Weisz. Since then, he has appeared in several action films including "Lucy," "Ben-Hur," "The Great Wall," "Ghost in the Shell," "Overlord," and "Uncharted." Following his villainous turn in "Samaritan," Asbæk is already set to star in two more high-profile films: "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" and "Salem's Lot."
Dascha Polanco as Tiffany Cleary
Dascha Polanco plays the role of Tiffany Cleary, the single mother of Javon Walton's Sam Cleary. Polanco already had experience with the superhero genre prior to the release of "Samaritan" — she co-starred in the animated film "DC League of Super-Pets," in which she voiced the character of Jessica Cruz, aka Green Lantern.
Polanco is a Dominican American actor who first gained recognition through her breakout role as Dayanara Diaz in the acclaimed comedy-drama "Orange Is the New Black," a show about the lives of the female inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary. Before getting cast in "Orange Is the New Black," Polanco was actually working in the healthcare field intending to become a nurse, she told All Things Girl. While studying nursing, she got the opportunity to take acting classes at BIH Studios, where she was discovered by a talent manager. Following the Netflix show's success, Polanco started landing parts in popular TV shows including "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story," "Russian Doll," "When They See Us," and "Evil." Her most recent TV project is HBO Max's comedy "Gordita Chronicles," in which she voices the adult version of the main character.
But what about the big screen? In 2013, Polanco made her feature acting debut in the independent drama "Gimme Shelter." She followed that up with minor roles in Adam Sandler's "The Cobbler” and Martin Scorsese's hit crime drama "The Irishman." Afterward, she secured a supporting role in Jon M. Chu's critically acclaimed musical drama "In the Heights."
Moises Arias as Reza
Portraying the role of Reza is Moises Arias, a gang member who tries to bully Javon Walton's Sam Cleary. Arias started his acting career at the age of 11 as a background character in an episode of "Everybody Hates Chris." Soon after, he made his feature acting debut as Juan Pablo in the Jack Black-led wrestling comedy "Nacho Libre."
In 2006, Arias became an official Disney Channel mainstay following small roles in the animated series "The Emperor's New School" and in the sitcom "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." His big break came when he successfully landed the role of Rico Suave in the popular "Hannah Montana" series. He's known as the rich and bossy kid owner of the local beach stand. During the show's run, Arias also guest-starred in other iconic Disney Channel shows including "Wizards of Waverly Place," "The Suite Life on Deck," and "Phineas and Ferb." As a child actor, he has also appeared in a few family-oriented films such as "Beethoven's Big Break," "The Perfect Game," and "Astro Boy."
When "Hannah Montana" ended, Arias began to break away from his Disney star image by taking on more unique and serious roles in films like the independent drama "The Kings of Summer," the sci-fi actioner "Ender's Game," the docudrama thriller "The Stanford Prison Experiment," the coming-of-age drama "The Land," and the historical epic "Ben-Hur." "Samarian" is just the latest in a string of movies that see him stepping out of the Disney shadow.
Shameik Moore as Devin Holloway
The talented Shameik Moore briefly appears in "Samaritan" as Devin Holloway. Moore made his on screen debut in 2011, when he got cast for a one-episode role in the Tyler Perry-created family sitcom "House of Payne," and in the BET sitcom "Reed Between the Lines."
Moore's big break came in the form of Rick Famuyiwa's 2015 coming-of-age comedy drama film "Dope," in which he portrayed the leading role of Malcolm opposite fellow rising stars Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons. When the film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, IndieWire named Moore as one of the major breakout performances of the festival, thanks to his effortless and charismatic portrayal of a '90s hip-hop obsessed teenager. He followed that up with a series regular role in Netflix's short-lived musical drama "The Get Down," in which he got to showcase his music talents. After the show ended, Moore signed on to appear in another music drama in the form of Hulu's biographical series "Wu-Tang: An American Saga," taking on the role of Corey Woods, aka Sha Raider/Raekwon.
In 2018, Moore was able to secure his biggest project to date. Spider-Man fans may have first heard Moore's voice in Sony's' Oscar-winning animated film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." He provides the voice of Miles Morales, a clever but socially awkward teenager whose life changes after obtaining powers through a spider bite and witnessing Spider-Man's death. Due to the film's massive success, Moore is set to reprise the role in two more sequels "Across the Spider-Verse" and "Beyond the Spider-Verse."
Jared Odrick as Farshad
In "Samaritan," Jared Odrick plays Farshad, who's another one of Cyrus' evil henchmen. For viewers who aren't familiar with American football, Odrick is best known as a former NFL defensive end. He was drafted as a first-round pick into the Miami Dolphins after graduating from Penn State University. After four seasons with the team, he moved on to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, after sustaining a shoulder injury during his second season, the Jaguars ultimately announced that they were releasing him from his contract.
In 2015, Odrick made his professional acting debut in HBO's Dwayne Johnson-led sports comedy-drama "Ballers." He portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in four episodes during the first two seasons. For the said show's eighth season, Odrick returned to serve as a consultant for nine episodes. Before appearing in "Samaritan," he already had executive producer credits on two short films, "Roller Coaster" and "Filling In," co-starring the latter. In 2017, he starred in and produced the independent drama "Jade," in which he took on the role of Justin. He also tried his hand at scriptwriting that same year — he was credited as a writer for an episode of the YouTube series "Craft."
Martin Starr as Albert Casler
In "Samaritan," Martin Starr plays the role of bookshop owner Albert Casler. Starr first gained recognition for his role as Bill Haverchuck in Paul Feig and Judd Apatow's teen comedy drama "Freaks and Geeks," which only lasted for 18 episodes. Despite its short run, it amassed quite a following which led it to become a cult classic that is famous for being the starting ground for famous actors like James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Linda Cardellini.
In 2009, Starr finally scored another series regular role in Starz's workplace sitcom "Party Down." However, despite the positive response from critics, it was not able to attract enough viewers to guarantee a third season renewal. Four years later, Starr got his third chance in starring as one of the leading characters in HBO's comedy series "Silicon Valley." Unlike "Freaks and Geeks" and "Party Down," this show was able to run on-air for six seasons.
Besides his frequent TV presence, Starr is also a familiar face on the big screen. He has made supporting appearances in the films such as "Knocked Up," "Superbad," "Adventureland," "Save the Date," "This Is the End," "The Lifeguard," and "Honey Boy." Starr's most notable film role is Roger Harrington, a Marvel Cinematic Universe side character who first appeared as a college student in the 2008 film "The Incredible Hulk." Nearly a decade later, he reprised the role in the "Spider-Man" trilogy, in which he was reintroduced as the high school science teacher of Peter Parker.
Henry G. Sanders as Arthur Holloway
Veteran character actor Henry G. Sanders plays the supporting role of Arthur Holloway in "Samaritan." He's no stranger to Sylvester Stallone, having worked with him in the 1973 thriller film "No Place to Hide" and in the 2006 sequel "Rocky Balboa." The first one was actually Sanders' professional acting debut, which he followed up with a minor part in the blaxploitation film "The Black Godfather."
Soon after, Sanders became a familiar presence in television after landing small appearances in popular shows from the late 1970s up until today. His extensive TV credits include "The Rockford Files," "The Jeffersons," "Knight Rider," "Night Court," "Miami Vice," "Married with Children," "The Young and the Restless," "E.R.," "ALF," "NYPD Blue," "The West Wing," "The Mentalist," "Grey's Anatomy," "American Horror Story," "9-1-1," and "Shameless," to name but a few. In 1993, Sanders finally secured his first series regular role in the Jane Seymour-led Western drama "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," in which he played Robert for over a hundred episodes. Nearly two decades later, he was cast as Prosper Denton, one of the main characters in Ava DuVernay's ongoing drama "Queen Sugar." He also recently starred opposite Rosario Dawson in the HBO Max miniseries "DMZ."
Sanders' impressive resume also includes supporting roles in many big movies, most notably in acclaimed dramas like Damien Chazelle's psychological music drama "Whiplash," and the historical drama "Selma," which was his first project with DuVernay. He's arguably best known for his leading role in the critically acclaimed 1978 independent film "Killer of Sheep."
Sophia Tatum as Sil
In "Samaritan," Sophia Tatum plays the role of Sil, who acts as Cyrus' right-hand woman. Tatum made her acting debut in 2006 when she got cast for a small part in the action thriller film "Salt," which starred Angelina Jolie as a Russian sleeper agent. However, for over a decade, she didn't go on to pursue any other acting opportunities. During that time, she instead shifted all of her focus to modeling and is currently being managed by Los Angeles model agency Scout.
In 2020, Tatum decided to restart her professional acting career and landed a recurring role in Netflix's coming-of-age dramedy "I Am Not Okay with This," in which she played the rehab-dodging troublemaker Jenny Tuffield. During the same year, she also got cast as a supporting character in the pilot episode of a show called "The Brides," which centered around the three wives of Count Dracula. Unfortunately, the project failed to score an official series order, per Deadline. In 2021, Tatum returned to the big screen for a brief appearance in the blockbuster action film "F9: The Fast Saga."
Her most recent TV credit is a recurring role in the popular teen drama "Riverdale." She plays Jillian Drake, an FBI agent who specializes in odd cases. She comes to the aid of Betty Cooper, who has the ability to see the auras of evil people. Jillian falls for Betty and reveals her feelings for her. "We haven't seen the last of Agent Drake," showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told TVLine, adding: "We love the weird, wild curveball complication of Agent Drake saying, 'I'm attracted to you.'"
Michael Aaron Milligan as Tuna
The multitalented Michael Aaron Milligan portrays one of Cyrus' henchmen in "Samaritan." This marks Milligan's latest venture in the superhero genre after previously appearing as the recurring character of Gravity Hound in Fox's now-defunct Marvel series "The Gifted," and as an extra in James Gunn's DC film "The Suicide Squad." Interestingly, he also worked as a stand-in for Paul Rudd in "Ant-Man."
Besides being an actor, Milligan also dabbles in stand-up comedy and is also a skilled stuntman who has knowledge in scuba diving, stunt fighting, parkour, and snowboarding. Before starring in "Samaritan," he appeared in a few independent films including "V/H/S: Viral," "A Girl Like Grace," "Shark Lake," and "Don't Kill It." The latter two are action films that he co-starred in with "Rocky IV" vet Dolph Lundgren. In 2017, Milligan got cast for a small part in the acclaimed drama "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" opposite Hollywood heavyweights Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell.
As for his television career, Milligan has made recurring appearances in TV shows like the music drama "RePlay;" the Corey Hawkins-led crime drama "24: Legacy;" the action adventure "MacGyver;" the music drama "American Soul;" and the medical drama "The Resident." He also had the opportunity to nab one-episode roles in "Power," "Ozark," "The Purge," "Outer Banks," and "Black Bird." He might not be a household name yet, but Michael Aaron Milligan is definitely one to watch.