‘The Cage’ Series Cast And Character Guide

Sports dramas of any kind demands an added level of physicality from their characters, something that Netflix’s latest MMA combat-based series, The Cage, exemplifies very well with its talented cast, who brought out the best from the narrative through their emphatic performances. Aside from this positive aspect, the series is going to attract a major number of combat sports nerds thanks to the number of cameo appearances by legendary MMA fighters, which almost made me think Dana White was going to pop up on the series at some point. Anyway, the inclusion of real-life stars brings a sense of realism into the narrative, and the fact that their appearances aren’t merely limited to blink-and-miss-it-type roles is an added bonus on top of everything. 

Taylor Keita Played by Melvin Boomer

French breakdancer and actor Melvin Boomer has previously acted in the comedy drama movie Sage Homme and in the TV series World of Tomorrow, and with Netflix’s The Cage, his acting profile just got a massive upgrade. In the series, Melvin plays the lead role of Taylor Keita, a talented young MMA fighter whose biggest adversary is himself. Taylor has been on the receiving end of the cruel hand life’s dealt him for a long time—being burdened with a manipulative, toxic mother whose approval he desperately wants to earn, and despite toiling hard to make a name for himself in the octagon, he remains invisible to his coach in the gym. Taylor’s plight is relatable to numerous competitive athletes, who find themselves stuck in a strange predicament at some point in time—being not bad enough to quit and bail but not good enough to make a splash either. 

One of Taylor’s defining features, for better or worse, is his stubbornness, which gets him in trouble on a number of occasions in the series. Quick to rise to fame, Taylor doesn’t know how to hold on to it, and makes a series of rash decisions without heeding the right counsel. Growing up with a longing for connection, Taylor easily trusts everyone and gets distracted by the bare minimum of affection shown by anyone, which is why he overlooks his best friend, Niko’s problematic tendencies a number of times, which ultimately brings his possible ruin. Throughout the series, Taylor’s growth as a fighter and a person was highlighted really well, and along with the strong characterization, props should be given to actor Melvin Boomer for making both the physical and psychological transformation believable. As a fallible protagonist, Taylor is written in a way that the audience will naturally relate to him. Taylor’s arc in the first season ends with his fate hanging in the balance. I can’t wait to see where the makers take the character from this point onwards. 

Boss Played By Franck Gastambide

Actor and director Franck Gastambide has created and starred in a number of acclaimed French web series and movies. In Netflix’s The Cage, where he portrays the role of taciturn, emotionally closed-off MMA coach, Boss, which is also created and directed by him. Franck’s skills both behind and in front of the camera are pretty noticeable, and he effortlessly brings the most complex character of the series to life. Boss’ initial interactions reveal him as a hardboiled realist who isn’t willing to sell false promises to his students and directly mentions their shortcomings without mincing words. Boss appears to be extremely traditional in his way of training, through his adherence to punctuality and discipline, considering social media noise as a distraction. He hasn’t updated himself with time, which shows in the way Boss doesn’t believe in PR despite training in combat sports, which one gains prominence through entertainment value. Perhaps Boss’ own inability to achieve his dreams as a fighter resulted in him being a bit too pessimistic about others as well. Boss’ connections with the hotshots of the MMA circuit hint that the rugged coach had quite a past as well.

Aside from being an exceptional coach, Boss proves himself to be quite perceptive and quick-witted as well, as he is able to realize Niko’s true intentions and warns Taylor against trusting him—ultimately, it is Niko who is going to be the downfall of Taylor’s fledgling career. 

Ibrahim Ibara Played By Bosh

French rapper and actor, Bosh, has previously appeared in TV series, Karnage and web series, Dans le Kartier. In The Cage, Bosh plays the role of hot-headed, arrogant pro-fighter Ibrahim Ibara, whose rivalry with Taylor becomes the central narrative thread of the series. Ibrahim represents the extremely negative traits of people associated with the profession, using his success and talents in the worst ways possible to antagonize others. 

Niko Played By Antoine Simoni

French actor Antoine Simoni had previously starred in movies like Summer of 85 and Barbara. Antoine plays the role of Niko, Taylor’s longtime friend who, much like Ibrahim, represents the negative side of competitive sports, as in his insecurity and jealousy, Niko ends up seemingly destroying his friend’s career. Niko’s toxic traits of acting like an idiot and his willingness to take drugs to enhance his performance are all the red flags Taylor chooses to ignore, which ends up costing him heavily in the end. 

Aside from the main cast, Bilal, the combat sports nerd played by actor Yanisse Kebbab, is definitely a standout performance, and Elena, played by actor Edwige Ahonto, left a mark despite having fairly little screen time. Now coming to the cameo appearances by the MMA legends, Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones play themselves and appear as mentors of Taylor Keita at different points in time. It is through their shared experience and teachings that Taylor gets the edge to make a spot for himself in the octagon at the end. Fighters like Ciryl Gane, Anissa Meksen, Abdoul Abdouraguimov, and Souleymane Cissokho had cameo roles scattered through the narrative as well. If the series gets another season, fans will be eager to see whether more MMA stars join the cast.