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Players, a 2024 romantic comedy movie, premiered on Netflix on February 14, 2024, in time for Valentine’s Day viewing. The romcom which has a sports journalist as the protagonist, is written by Whit Anderson and directed by Trish Sie. The Netflix original has Marc Platt as a co-producer besides Adam Siegel, Ryan Christians and Ross Dinerstein. Additionally, alongside Marc Platt Productions, Campfire and I Can & I Will Productions are also part of it.
Players was announced in March 2021, with only the information about the lead actors. The remaining actors and the plot were conveyed recently. While it is too early for a comprehensive analysis of the reception of the movie, as of now, the reviews range between positive-to-mixed.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers and advises the reader’s discretion.
Players: The main cast list
1) Gina Rodriguez as Mack
Gina Rodriguez plays Mack, a sportswriter in New York who is both nerdy and fun. While able to read people, she helps hook up her friends in romantic alliances employing “plays”. However, when she meets war reporter Nick, her plays seem to elude her, particularly when she desperately needs one to achieve her goal, a space in his apartment.
Gina rose to fame with Jane the Virgin. She was previously seen in Annihilation, Big Mouth, Spy Kids: Armageddon, and many more projects.
2) Tom Ellis as Nick
Elis’s Nick is a war correspondent and has an almost perfect personality. The heroic journalist has acts of kindness to his credit as he saves an orphan from a burning building. Nick is impressively fluent in seven different languages. He is the ideal person whom Mack would want to settle down with.
Before Players, actor Tom Ellis has acted in a variety of roles in movies of different genres which include Queen America, Lucifer, Rush and Miranda.
3) Damon Wayans Jr. as Adam
Adam is Mack’s best friend in the most supportive, uncomplicated and straightforward way. He is sweet, reliable and thoughtful. He knows Mack well to the extent that he would offer “sad falafel” as her comfort food. He believes Mack should not chalk out any play to land Nick but start with basics like asking him out.
Damon Wayans Jr. has previously worked on various projects that include Bob’s Burgers, Let’s Be Cops, The Other Guys and New Girl.
4) Augustus Prew as Brannagan
Augustus’s Sam Brannagan is in Mack’s circle of friends and acquaintances. He writes obituaries and keeps a blunt approach to things with an aloof air. While not one to mince words, Sam is a caring friend and affectionate when his friends need him.
Augustus Prew has been featured in Special, Pure Genius, The Morning Show and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
5) Liza Koshy as Ashley
Ashley is the friend Mack got when she needed one. She is the newspaper’s smart secretary who fits into the friends group smoothly. While quirky in her approach to matters, Ashley is self-assured in who she is. She manages to start a romance of her own without employing any help.
Liza Koshy has been part of many comedies in the past which include Work It, Liza on Demand, Hamster & Gretel, and The Ghost and Molly McGee.
6) Joel Courtney as Little
'Little' is the friendly nickname given to Courtney’s Ryan, Sam Brannagan’s younger brother. He is identifiable by his sense of style. While not a newspaper staff, Ryan spends a lot of time in the newspaper office. He meets Ashley at the office and they get on well immediately.
Before joining the cast of Players, Joel was part of The Kissing Booth series 1, 2 and 3, besides working in Jesus Revolution, Super 8 and The Messengers.
7) Marin Hinkle as Karen Kirk
Hinkle’s Kirk is the tough and efficient editor-in-chief of the newspaper. She gave Mack her major break. She wants all her staff to be straightforward and ask for opportunities and options directly.
Hinkle is well-known for her roles in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Two and a Half Men, Madam Secretary, Jumanji: The Next Level and Speechless to name a few.
8) Ego Nwodim as Claire
Nwodim plays Claire, Adam’s girlfriend. A dental hygienist by profession, Claire and Adam meet in a social setup. Without going through any “play” employed by his friends, Adam simply asks for her number and they start dating. This upset Adam’s friends.
Ego Nwodim was previously part of Saturday Night Live, Love Life and It’s A Party among many others.
What is the plot of the Players about?
Players follows sports journalist, Mack, who is well-read and fun, and has a penchant for creating plays or acts to hook up her friends with partners. The group of friends often lands one-night stands. However, their play-oriented method has the disclaimer that no one is allowed to build a relationship using a play.
Mack meets Nick, her latest target, but faces a dilemma about using the play setup since she seriously falls in love with him. While her best friend Adam advises her to be straightforward in her approach, Mack has been hiding too long behind play dates to feel confident.
Besides, she has to learn to move away from romancing to keep a score to romance for keeps.
Summing up about Players
Players is a romantic comedy that brings to the fore the charm of committed relationships over one-night stands and play dates. Moreover, the Netflix original presents a protagonist who is ready to unlearn her own rules to devote herself to a relationship for keeps.
Aimed at a Valentine’s Day release, Players is available for streaming on Netflix.
