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For other uses, see Warrior (disambiguation).
| Warrior | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | |
| Created by | Jonathan Tropper |
| Based on | The writings of Bruce Lee |
| Starring | |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original languages |
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| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 30 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Production locations | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Running time | 44–66 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Cinemax |
| Release | April 5, 2019 – December 4, 2020 |
| Network | Max |
| Release | June 29 – August 17, 2023 |
Warrior is an American martial arts crime drama television series that premiered on April 5, 2019, on Cinemax.[1][2] It is based on an original concept and treatment by Bruce Lee,[3][4][5] and is executive-produced by his daughter, Shannon Lee, and film director Justin Lin. Jonathan Tropper, known for the Cinemax original series Banshee, is the showrunner.
In April 2019, Cinemax renewed the series for a second season which premiered on October 2, 2020.[6][7] It was Cinemax's final series before ceasing production of original programming. In April 2021, the series was renewed for a third season, along with the announcement that the series would move to HBO Max, later rebranded to Max.[8] The third season premiered on Max on June 29, 2023.[9] In December 2023, the series was canceled after three seasons.[10]
Plot[edit]
Set during the Tong Wars in late 1870s San Francisco, the series follows Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy who emigrates from China in search of his sister, only to be sold to one of the most powerful tongs in Chinatown.
Cast[edit]
Main[edit]
- Andrew Koji as Ah Sahm, a Chinese martial arts expert from Foshan who travels to San Francisco in search of his elder sister, Xiaojing, who emigrated years prior.[11]
- Olivia Cheng as Ah Toy, a madam who runs a brothel in Chinatown and is adept at wielding the dao.[11]
- Jason Tobin as Young Jun, Father Jun's son and successor who befriends Ah Sahm and is skilled with throwing knives.[11]
- Dianne Doan as Mai Ling, the wife of Long Zii, the head of the Long Zii Tong. Formerly known as Xiaojing, she is Ah Sahm's elder sister who fled China to escape her abusive husband, the warlord Sun Yang, whom she was forced to marry to save her brother's life. She acts as the de facto leader of the Long Zii.[11]
- Kieran Bew as Bill "Big Bill" O'Hara, an Irish police officer promoted to lead the Chinatown squad. He is former friends with Dylan Leary, as both men were Union soldiers during the American Civil War. Due to his gambling problems, he is often in trouble with both the Chinese and Irish gangs.[11]
- Dean S. Jagger as Dylan Leary, an American Civil War veteran, labor unionist, and leader of the Workingmen's Party of California. He loathes the Chinese, whom he blames for taking away jobs that he believes are meant for the Irish.[11]
- Joanna Vanderham as Penelope Blake (seasons 1–2), the wife of Samuel Blake, the mayor of San Francisco. She and her husband do not get along, as she only married him to save her father's failing business. She later falls in love with Ah Sahm after he saves her life.[11]
- Tom Weston-Jones as Richard Henry Lee, a new police officer from Savannah, Georgia. He is disliked by his Irish colleagues, who are Union veterans, due to his family having fought for the Confederacy. Despite being from the South, he is much more racially tolerant compared to his peers.[11]
- Hoon Lee as Wang Chao, a black market salesman who acquires various contraband for the Tongs and the San Francisco police. Because of his connections, he is free to travel throughout all of the Tongs' territories and even serves as a mediator between them. It is later revealed that he was enslaved for a time in Cuba.[11]
- Langley Kirkwood as Walter Franklin Buckley, the Deputy Mayor of San Francisco who secretly conspires with Mai Ling to start a gang war between the Hop Wei and the Long Zii.[11]
- Christian McKay as Samuel Blake (seasons 1–2), the Mayor of San Francisco and Penelope's husband. Despite espousing anti-Chinese views to gain the support of his constituents, he secretly frequents Ah Toy's brothel to be serviced by both male and female Chinese prostitutes.[11]
- Perry Yung as Father Jun, the leader of the Hop Wei Tong and Young Jun's father.[11]
- Joe Taslim as Li Yong, a skilled martial artist who serves as the Long Zii's chief enforcer. He is Ah Sahm's main rival and Mai Ling's lover.[11]
- Dustin Nguyen[a] as Zing (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), the new leader of the Fung Hai Tong and Mai Ling's ally.
- Céline Buckens as Sophie Mercer (season 2), Penelope's reckless younger sister who seeks to gain Leary's attention.[12]
- Miranda Raison as Nellie Davenport (seasons 2–3), a wealthy widow who owns a large vineyard in Sonoma that offers asylum to Chinese migrants, particularly prostitutes. She later becomes romantically involved with Ah Toy.[12]
- Chen Tang as Hong (seasons 2–3), an abrasive, young new recruit brought over from China as part of reinforcements for the Hop Wei. He quickly befriends Young Jun and Ah Sahm when they come to his defense after he is ridiculed for being homosexual. He often fights with a chain that he wears as a necklace.[12]
- Maria-Elena Laas as Rosalita Vega (season 2), a resilient Mexican woman who runs illegal fighting tournaments on the Barbary Coast, which Ah Sahm frequents.[12]
- Chelsea Muirhead as Yan Mi (season 3), the daughter of a printing shop owner, who seeks to settle her father's debt to the Hop Wei by aiding Ah Sahm.[13]
- Mark Dacascos as Kong Pak (season 3), the former leader of the Jiang Yao Tong, which is assimilated into the Long Zii, and an old friend of Li Yong.[13]
- Adam Rayner as Douglas Strickland (season 3), a railroad baron who receives a contract from the U.S. government to build on Nellie's land.[14]
Recurring[edit]
- Rich Ting as Bolo (season 1), a former railroad worker ("coolie") turned underground fighter who was saved by Father Jun. He serves as the Hop Wei's primary muscle and assassin.[15]
- Henry Yuk as Long Zii (season 1), the elderly leader of the Long Zii tong and Mai Ling's husband.
- Robert Hobbs as Stone, a police officer under Bill's command as part of the Chinatown Squad.
- Jacques Bessenger as McLeod (seasons 1–2), another of the police officers in the Chinatown Squad.
- Nicholas Pauling as Harrison, another of the police officers in the Chinatown Squad.
- David Butler[b] as Russell Flanagan (seasons 1–2), San Francisco's chief of police.
- Graham Hopkins as Byron Mercer (season 1), Penelope and Sophie's father and the owner of a steel mill.
- Kenneth Fok as Jacob (seasons 1–2), Penelope's loyal Chinese manservant.
- Emily Child as Lucy O'Hara, Bill's wife and mother of their children.
- Brendan Sean Murray as Jack Damon (season 1), an Irish debt collector working for the Fung Hai.
- Jenny Umbhau as Lai, a young girl from the Shandong province who aids Ah Toy on her missions. Like Ah Toy, she is skilled with the dao.
- André Jacobs as Lymon Merriweather (season 2; guest seasons 1, 3), a wealthy businessman who frequently deals with the Mayor.
- Martin Munro as Leonard Raice (season 2; guest seasons 1, 3), a corrupt reporter with ties to Buckley.
- Frank Rautenbach as Leonard Patterson (season 2; guest season 1), Ah Toy's business partner who serves as her frontman when purchasing land
- Gaosi Raditholo as Abigail (season 3; guest season 2), an African American bartender who seduces and drugs Lee, and becomes romantically involved with him later on.
- Raditholo also plays Nora (seasons 1–2), Lee's deceased lover from Georgia.
- Nat Ramabulana as "Happy Jack" (season 3; guest season 2), the African American leader of a drug trafficking ring on the Barbary Coast who enters into a partnership with Young Jun and Ah Sahm.
- Neels Clasen as Benjamin Atwood (season 3), the ruthless new police chief from New York City and a former Union Army Colonel.[14]
- Sean-Marco Vorster as Stewart Gumm (season 3), Buckley's conniving campaign manager and right-hand man.[14]
- Jazzara Jaslyn as Eliza Pendleton (season 3), a wealthy socialite who befriends Mai Ling.[14]
- Kevin Otto as Horace Clark (season 3), Bill's brother-in-law who owns a successful cement factory.[14]