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The Killer: Everything to Know About the Cast & Characters of John Woo's Peacock Film
John Woo has assembled a killer cast for his contemporary remake.
Thanks to John Wick, audiences are currently living in the golden age of beleaguered hitman cinema. Legendary director John Woo (Hard Boiled, Face/Off) is throwing his own hat into the ring with The Killer (now streaming exclusively on Peacock).
An English-language reimagining of Woo's 1989 action thriller of the same name, the film centers around a Parisian assassin-for-hire (played by the Fast Saga's Nathalie Emmanuel) who finds herself on the run — not only from the cops, but also from individuals she once counted as peers in the bloody world of cutthroats.
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"John is a master filmmaker with his unique way of embracing the action genre,” executive producer and Woo's longtime producing partner Terence Chang says in the official production notes. “He is at his best and most mature with this new film.”
"When you talk about the great action directors and directors that stylistically enhance the genre of action movies, right up there is John Woo,” adds producer Charles Roven. “He creates action set pieces that also have a unique cinematic vision. His use of the camera is just so signature. There are so many directors who have followed him, who are trying to emulate him, but he's still so unique in terms of how he handles action and the camera moves within that action.”
So, who are the major players in this action-packed adventure? Let's take a closer look at 10 key figures to watch out for in The Killer.
A Guide to the Cast of The Killer
Nathalie Emmanuel as Zee
A feared and lethally effective assassin in the Parisian criminal underworld, Zee has earned herself the moniker of the "Queen of the Dead." However, the character's usual lack of ethics fails her at a crucial juncture when she refuses to kill a blinded woman at a nightclub. "When I read the script, Zee didn’t strike me as your usual kind of action lead,” Emmanuel says. “She was much more multifaceted, and she undercut so many of those tropes that we have in action, especially for women in action. I was really excited to see that on the page. And who doesn’t want to be John Woo’s action lead?"
Where you've seen Emmanuel before: Game of Thrones, Army of Thieves, the Fast Saga films
Omar Sy as Sey
Like all the great detectives in cinema, Sey (a veteran of the French police force) doesn't follow standard procedure. If he needs to place a toe — or an entire foot — over the line to keep the peace, you better believe he's going to do it. “I like Sey because he’s a loyal cop playing by his own rules to make real justice and really do it with all his heart,” Sy explains. “It’s more about instinct and feelings, you know? He’s the good guy, but sometimes he can cross the line to do what is best. That was very interesting for me."
Where you've seen Sy before: Jurassic World, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Intouchables
Sam Worthington as Finn
Finn serves a dual role in Zee's life: He informs her of guilty targets and serves as a pseudo-parental figure. His loving nickname for the accomplished killer is "Cushla Machree," a Gaelic phrase meaning "vein of my heart" or "darling of my heart." Just don't get on his bad side or he'll rain hellfire down upon you. “He’s a mentor of violence, a conduit of ruthlessness, but he cares deeply for Zee,” Worthington says.
Where you've seen Worthington before: Avatar, The Debt, Terminator Salvation
Diana Silvers as Jenn
Jenn is an American in France with ambitions of becoming a nightclub singer. She's unsuspectingly caught up in criminal activities due to a romantic fling with a shady dude named Coco (Hugo Diego Garcia) and finds herself blinded during one of Zee's missions. The assassin spares her life and bonds with the young woman, who is unaware that her new friend is directly responsible for taking away her vision. “Jenn is a young woman, not dissimilar from a young Zee in the sense that she’s drifted away from her home, her family, and finds herself in a questionable world,” notes producer Alex Gartner. “Zee believes Jenn to be a true innocent in the situation, even though she may not be as innocent as Zee at first believes."
Where you've seen Silvers before: Glass, Space Force, Booksmart
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Eric Cantona as Jules Gobert
Zee reports to Finn and Finn reports to Gobert. A powerful — and highly formidable — underworld kingpin known as the "Godfather of Paris," Gobert has built a lucrative empire out of narcotics, gambling, and prostitution.
Where you've seen Cantona before: The Salvation, Inhuman Resources, AKA
Saïd Taghmaoui as Prince Majeb Bin Faheem
Described as "the privileged scion of the Saudi royal family," Prince Majeb arrives in Paris with 350 million euros worth of heroin, bankrolled by none other than Gobert. But when the drugs are stolen right off the tarmac by thieves posing as French customs agents, the royal scrambles to hide his crime from Sey and, more frighteningly, conceal the severe financial loss from Gobert.
Where you've seen Taghmaoui before: Three Kings, Wonder Woman, American Hustle
Tchéky Karyo as Tessier
Every assassin needs a good tailor who can keep a secret — and Tessier fits the bill perfectly! A lover of fine chocolates and a surrogate grandfather to Zee, the sartorial character enjoys protection from the hit-woman in exchange for providing her with "exquisite custom clothing for her that allows her to conceal weapons of execution … and self-defense."
Where you've seen Karyo before: GoldenEye, The Patriot, Women at War
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Grégory Montel as Jax
Jax is Sey's brave and loyal partner on the French police force. The two have been the best of friends for years, which could imply a stinging betrayal might be in the cards. Is Jax on Gobert's payroll? "I didn’t know Omar, but when you meet an actor like him, somebody who is really kind, everything is easier,” Montel says. “In a few minutes, I understood that we were going to find our rhythm together."
Where you've seen Montel before: Transatlantic, The Fear Index, Upgraded
Angeles Woo as Chi Mai
Played by John Woo's own daughter, Chi Mai is a lethal sniper hired to kill Zee when the latter fails to kill Jenn. “Angeles is a very professional and talented actress already so when I work with her, it’s just like working with any other actors,” Woo remarks. “The only time I’m more concerned is when she does her own stunts, but overall, it is great working with her professionally.”
Where you've seen Woo before: Silent Night, Manhunt, The Crossing
Aurélia Agel as Juliet
Chi Mai isn't the only one looking to collect the bounty on Zee. Juliet is yet another assassin hired to murder her peer. But as we've learned from the John Wick movies, trying to kill the most respected individual in the field of taking lives is never a good idea. "I already knew John Woo's films from a very young age, so it's an honor to have been able to be part of this film," Agel says. "Working alongside actors like Omar Sy and Nathalie Emmanuel was truly a fantastic experience."
Where you've seen Agel before: Black Widow, Fast X, My Spy: The Eternal City
The Killer is now streaming exclusively on Peacock!
