The Instigators is a heist comedy directed by Doug Liman, featuring Casey Affleck and Matt Damon. It had a limited theatrical release in the US on August 2, 2024, and is now streaming on Apple TV+ since August 9, 2024. Even with a great Instigators movie cast and director, the film has received mixed reviews.
The movie follows Affleck and Damon as thieves inspired by Robin Hood. Damon plays a desperate dad, while Affleck is an ex-con. Their plan to rob a corrupt politician quickly goes awry. With a mix of action, excitement, and humor, The Instigators brings a fresh twist to the heist genre. Critics have noted its slow pace and low-stakes drama but have praised the actors’ performances.
Since the cast of The Instigators movie are key to the film’s appeal, it’s important to see who plays which roles in The Instigators. Keep reading below.
Advertisement Matt Damon as Rory
Matt Damon was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He started acting with Mystic Pizza in 1988. Almost ten years later, he gained fame for his role in Good Will Hunting, a film he co-wrote with Ben Affleck. This success led to roles in popular films like The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Bourne Identity, and The Ocean’s Trilogy. He also appeared in Hulu’s docuseries, Me Hereafter. After nearly forty years in acting, Damon continues to thrive in his career.
In The Instigators, Matt Damon plays Rory, a man desperate for money who gets caught up in a heist. Rory, an ex-marine, has a hard time figuring out what to do to make the heist work. Compared to Casey Affleck’s character, Cobby, Rory is quieter and more reserved.
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Casey Affleck as Cobby
Casey Affleck, Ben Affleck’s younger brother, was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He started his acting career more seriously after moving to Los Angeles to live with his brother Ben and Matt Damon. His big break came in 2007 when he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Later, in 2017, he won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Manchester by the Sea.
Casey Affleck plays Rory, a talkative outlaw who never stops talking. Even though he talks a lot, he is smarter than Matt Damon’s Rory and often finds good solutions to their problems. Unlike Damon’s Rory, Affleck’s Rory has shallow reasons for joining the heist.
Hong Chau as Dr. Donna Rivera
Hong Chau was born in Vietnam and spoke Vietnamese as her first language. She started studying film and acting to help with her shyness, which led to her acting career. She made her debut in Finding My America in 2006 and later had guest roles in NCIS and How I Met Your Mother. Chau gained wider recognition in 2017 for her role in Downsizing with Matt Damon. Recently, she has been well-known for her performance in The Whale, which earned her an Academy Award nomination.
Hong Chau plays Dr. Donna Rivera, Rory’s psychologist who goes overboard in helping her patient. Even though she initially wants nothing to do with Rory and Cobby, she gets involved in their trouble with the law. Although Dr. Rivera is only in half of the film, Chau does a great job showing the depth of her character and her relationship with Rory.
Paul Walter Hauser as Booch
Paul Walter Hauser plays Booch, an accomplice to Mr. Begesai, in The Instigators. Before acting, he briefly worked as a professional wrestler. After switching careers, he took on supporting roles in I, Tonya, BlacKkKlansman, and Cruella. In 2022, Hauser won a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy for playing Larry Hall in Apple TV+’s Black Bird. He also voices Embarrassment in Disney’s Inside Out 2 and in Orion and the Dark. He will star in a secret role in the upcoming Marvel movie The Fantastic Four.
Michael Stuhlbarg plays Mr. Besegai
Michael Stuhlbarg plays Mr. Besegai, a crime boss who hires Rory and Cobby in The Instigators. He first gained recognition for his role as Larry Gopnik in A Serious Man (2009). Stuhlbarg has played various real-life figures, including George Yeaman in Lincoln, Andy Hertzfeld in Steve Jobs, and Arnold Rothstein in Boardwalk Empire. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in The Looming Tower. Recently, Stuhlbarg appeared with Colin Firth and Toni Collette in the limited series The Staircase, based on a true story of a family murder. He was also nominated for a 77th Tony Award for The Patriots.
Ving Rhames as Frank Toomey
Ving Rhames plays Frank Toomey, a Boston Police Detective chasing Rory and Cobby in The Instigators. Rhames, a Juilliard graduate, started on Broadway with the play The Winter Boys in 1984. He made a name for himself in Hollywood as Marsellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction. He also appeared with Tom Cruise as hacker Luther Stickell in Mission: Impossible. His role in Don King: Only in America won him a Golden Globe in 1998, which he later gave to Jack Lemmon as a gesture of sharing.
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Alfred Molina plays Richie Dechico
Alfred Molina plays Richie Dechico, an associate of Mr. Begasai, in The Instigators. Molina, a three-time Tony-nominated actor, gained fame as the supervillain Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: No Way Home. His other roles include parts in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Maverick, and The Da Vinci Code. He also starred as Detective Ricardo Morales in Law & Order: LA. His most recent role was in Three Pines, which was canceled after one season.
Toby Jones as Alan Flynn
Toby Jones plays Alan Flynn in The Instigators. He received praise for his role as Truman Capote in the biopic Infamous. After that, Jones starred in Frost/Nixon, The Painted Veil, and My Week with Marilyn. He has also done voice work, including as Dobby the House Elf in the Harry Potter films and Owl in Disney’s Christopher Robin. His most recent role is in AppleTV+’s Tetris, which tells the true story of the game’s creation.
Jack Harlow as Scalvo
Jack Harlow plays Scalvo, a young criminal who joins Rory and Cobby in their heist. From Louisville, Kentucky, Harlow has been active in music since high school. He released his first mixtape, 18, on SoundCloud, and his hit song “Ice Cream” gained over 900k plays on Spotify. Besides music, Harlow made his acting debut in White Men Can’t Jump, playing Jeremy, a former basketball star whose sports dreams are hindered by injuries.
Ron Perlman plays Mayor Miccelli
Ron Perlman plays Mayor Miccelli in The Instigators. He is the long-serving mayor of Boston, and his campaign gala becomes the target of the heist in the film. Perlman is best known for his role as Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast. Fans may also recognize his voice as the supervillain Slade in Teen Titans and as the narrator in the Fallout game series. He appeared in Mr & Mrs Smith Season 1 Perlman will also appear in Clark Duke’s upcoming movie Stranglehold, which is a comedy about a heist gone wrong.
Wrap Up!
The cast of The Instigators movie adds a lot to the film with their great performances. The main characters are two clever thieves involved in a big heist. They are joined by a talented group of actors who bring different styles to the story. Each actor adds something special, making the film a mix of action, humor, and drama. With such a lively cast, the movie gives a fresh and exciting twist on the heist genre, mixing intense moments with fun and surprises.