Cyrus is the mastermind of the Lift team, a seasoned thief who finds himself cajoled into working with the government for one last heist. He’s played by world-famous comedian Kevin Hart, in a role that trends towards the more action-oriented persona he’s tested out in films like Central Intelligence.

“Kevin was willing to do whatever it took to embody the character Cyrus Whitaker,” Gray said. “Interestingly, while I prefer rehearsing before shooting a movie, Kevin, who is historically not inclined to do so, being one of the busiest people I’ve ever met, made it a priority. His commitment and investment, I believe, made a significant difference in his performance.”

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Interpol agent Abby Gladwell has Cyrus’ number — and she’s reticent to recruit him for a mission with stakes this high. But under her own supervision, she’s convinced to give the scoundrel and his team a chance. She’s played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who stole the show as party animal Kelly in Black Mirror’s acclaimed episode “San Junipero.” 

“When I read this script, it was just so buoyant,” Mbatha-Raw said. “And for me, to work with an amazing talent and  comedian like Kevin Hart was a real draw. It was amazing to learn fight choreography— and you’re  not just fighting, but the plane is moving!”

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Master of disguise Denton is an integral fixture of Cyrus’ crew, and a close friend. The chameleonic criminal is played by an actor with a similar skillset — Emmy-nominated Vincent D’Onofrio, who himself has picked up a few tricks from a magic shop he frequented as a young man.

“Vincent D’Onofrio is a bonafide legend,” Gray told Netflix. “His paternal influence on the cast impacted how they showed up and performed, it really comes through on screen.”

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Camila is the team’s wheelwoman, a getaway driver without compare. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s prepared to fly a private jet. But preparation is overrated anyway. Úrsula Corberó has her own onscreen history of robbery — she plays Tokyo on Money Heist. 

“It’s all about chemistry and magic,” Corberó said of bonding with her screen partners. “I think that happened, naturally. We weren’t expecting to have this real connection in real life.”

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The team’s genial safecracker, Magnus is a force to be reckoned with — and, occasionally, a wisecracker to be tolerated (barely). He’s played by Billy Magnussen, a comic presence who’s enlivened films from Into the Woods to Game Night. 

“Honestly, what excited me about doing this project more than anything was working with F. Gary Gray, Kevin Hart, Vincent D’Onofrio and the whole crew.” Magnussen said. “I created really wonderful relationships and call a lot of these people friends now, so that’s always a blessing when you start a project and you leave with a bigger family.”

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Investment banker Lars Jorgensen uses his status as a seemingly upstanding citizen to cloak a life devoted to financial terrorism. He’s the owner of those ten tons of gold — but not if Cyrus has anything to say about it. Lars is played by Jean Reno, a truly international screen presence; since his debut in 1978, he’s appeared in American, French, English, Japanese, Spanish and Italian film productions.

“I have a special appreciation for working with Jean Reno because he starred in one of my favorite films, the French version of La Femme Nikita,” Gray revealed. “He may not know it but that film served as one of my inspirations for Set It Off.”

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Abby’s Interpol boss Huxley convinces her to bring Cyrus into their circle of trust, desperate to stop the gold from falling into the hands of global terror. Huxley is played by Australian actor Sam Worthington, best known for his work in James Cameron’s Avatar and its 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, in which he plays human turned Na’vi warrior Jake Sully. 

“Apart from Kevin, Sam was the actor who I shared the most laughs with,” Gray said. “I admired his unique process of putting on his AirPods and listening to motivational music to hype himself up before his next scene. Right before I called ‘action,’ he would ditch the headphones and morph into the scene like magic. His work ethic is downright inspiring.”

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Pop star Yun Jee Kim plays the team’s electronics expert, Mi-Sun. She’s a whiz at manipulating technology — enabling a speedy escape during an early Venice smash-and-grab.

“I felt an instant connection with Mi-Sun,” Kim said. “Even though she’s this sharp, focused, smart person, she also has a vulnerable side to her, which has drawn her to this crew because she considers the crew her family.”

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Viveik Kalra plays thoughtful engineer Luc. Kalra previously starred in Gurinder Chadha’s Bruce Springsteen jukebox musical Blinded by the Light; will he have the nerve to pull off a heist with Cyrus’ crew?

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N8 is a mysterious digital artist who appears early on in Lift; like many things about the anonymous performer, his role is kept under tight wraps. He’s played by Jacob Batalon, who memorably joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Spider-Man’s best pal Ned Leeds. 

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