“THE KINGFISH” CAST
Xavier Edwards (“X”)
Xavier was the first actor to officially join the cast. He plays the character “X” who is savvy, a video gamer, sneakerhead, is and tied into pop culture and what’s “cool.” The role is a reflection of who he is in real life. In one scene, X can clearly be seen trying to hold back laughter; the scene remained in the film. He attends the same Philly high school as Britt Starghill.
Britt Starghill (“Flip”)
Flip, the second member to join the cast, plays “Flip” who is a genius, but not a nerd. When presented with the character of Flip, he played with it for a while before molding it and settling in on the character you see in the film today. He and Xavier were the only two cast members who were targeted for roles before the script was written.
Jordan Webber (“Cupcake”)
There were 400 applicants for the role of “Cupcake,” and Jordan was selected as one of three finalists. During the audition, it was immediately clear that Jordan was “Cupcake.” Her good-girl persona and talent were perfect fits for what the producers had in mind for the role, and they were right. Jordan delivers a memorable yet perfectly restrained performance. She attends high school in Philly.
Ariel Soleil (“Penny”)
The producers were aware of Ariel’s talent before casing her in the role. During the casting process, she was offered a role—not any specific role, just a role as an alternate for “Cupcake” and “Lucy,” or as “Penny,” After a food ordering incident where she took 40 minutes to decide what she wanted to eat, the script for “Penny” was tailored to that incident. And it turned out to be a perfect choice.
Taylor Myrick (“Bobby”)
There were 200 applicants for the “Bobby” role, and Taylor was the last actor standing. What sealed it was his audition reel where the scene he acted out was exactly what the writers had envisioned for “Bobby.” Smart, suave, and level-headed. He is a nice complement to “Flip” (smart, funny) and “X” (freewheeling, cool), as he brings that maturity and complementary cool to the trio. He attends college in Philadelphia.
Keron Morton (“Big Man”)
Keron was the last member to join the cast; he got the script two days before filming—while he was out of town. The producers couldn’t find anyone who fit the role—an intimidating big guy with a big voice. And then, the Executive Producer (EP) said, “Wait! Keron!” He reached out to Keron with his fingers crossed and Keron agreed to play the role! It was a close call. If he said no, the filming would have had to be postponed.
Omar Long (“Big Homie”)
One day while the EP was watching the Ital Tha Ruffian music video “Melodious Thump,” he spotted one of the performers and asked Ital, “Who is THAT?!” he thought the guy was perfect for the “Big Homie” role. Ital put the two in touch (on short notice), and Omar agreed to play the role. Off screen, he is actually called “Big Homie Tha OG.” A natural fit for the role.
Ronald Shaer (“Kingfish”)
The producers found themselves in a tight spot: they needed to fins that perfect person to play the menacing “Kingfish.” After sorting through 40 applicants for the role, they saw the photo of the 41st applicant and said, “THAT’S The Kingfish!” They contacted Ron immediately—without auditioning him—and offered him the role on the spot. It was an easy choice, because Ron is an accomplished actor.
Kavon Kellam (“Smart Homie”)
Kavon was an applicant for another role in the film, but it had already been cast. However, the producers thought he was a versatile actor who could play many styles: serious, comedic, street, and others, which they believed would be an asset. So, they asked Kavon if he would be interested in a smaller-yet-important role, and he agreed. His scene is one of the most original scenes ever produced on film.
Ital Tha Ruffian (“The Mean Man”)
The EP asked popular and highly-respected Philly rapper, Ital Tha Ruffian, to play the role of “The Mean Man.” The EP thought it was a great idea because two of Ital’s songs were going to be used in the film. Plus, he thought Ital could play a perfect mean guy, and he did. If you haven’t seen the film, you have to watch it just to see Ital’s gate as he chases Bobby, Flip, and X.
Jormal Edwards (“Bodyguard”), Justin Vassor (“The Distributor”), and Joshua Black (“The Bag Man”)
The producers needed a few people to play bit parts, and reached out to some friends to fill the roles. “The Bagman” played by Joshua Black, was created during filming (a script edit) when they realized they needed someone to hand the bag to “X.” Josh was on-set, and agreed to play the part.
Ayana Ferguson (“Freddie”)
Ayana is the newest member of the leading cast and will play the role of “Freddie” in episode 2. Ayana was one of 3 finalists for a lead female role out of 400 applicants. She is very talented and versatile and will be a great fit with the other leading cast members. During her audition for episode 1, the casting director and EP agreed that she deserved a leading role in the film,, and here she is. She attends high school in New Jersey.