‘Fightland’ Stars Howard Charles & Nicholas Pinnock Break Down The Thin Line Between Peace And Power [Exclusive]

At first glance, STARZ’s Fightland is a gripping crime drama fueled by revenge, power, and high-stakes action inside London’s boxing underworld. But according to stars Howard Charles and Nicholas Pinnock, the heart of the 50 Cent-executive produced series lies in something much deeper: the ways grief and the pursuit of control can shape two men standing on opposite sides of the same conflict.

Charles stars as Maduka “Duke” Kilroy, a former heavyweight boxing champion who returns to London after serving eight years in prison, determined to dismantle the criminal empire he believes destroyed his family. Pinnock portrays Kingsley Marshall, the elusive crime boss whose influence casts a shadow over nearly every character’s journey throughout the series.

During a recent press day for Fightland, both actors spoke with BOSSIP’s very own Lauryn Bass about the emotional complexity behind their characters, revealing that beneath the violence is a story about trauma, manipulation and what each man believes true strength looks like.

Howard Charles Says Duke’s Fight Is Rooted In Grief, Not Just Revenge

Although Duke’s mission is driven by vengeance, Charles said understanding his emotional wounds was the most important part of preparing for the role.

“The real journey with Duke was emotional,” Charles said. “Channeling those feelings of rage and hatred and vengeance; I grew to understand the man very, very well.”

Rather than approaching Duke as simply an intimidating former champion, Charles said he focused on exploring the character’s internal struggles.

“I would have to travel further into some of the deeper and darker parts of the human heart,” he said.

While revenge fuels Duke’s actions throughout the series, Charles believes his character’s deepest desire is far simpler.

“Peace,” he said when asked what Duke is truly searching for beyond revenge. I really feel like beneath it all is a desire for peace. Peace is not always rosy with a ribbon wrapped around it. There are many different forms of peace. Some of them can be darker.”

Charles added that Duke’s determination to destroy the Marshall empire ultimately stems from years of unresolved grief.

“He certainly wants to avenge the death of his brother by annihilating and completely destroying the Marshall empire, but I think that comes from just wanting the pain to stop,” he explained. “That was something that I really felt from page one when I read the scripts. Duke’s pain really got me.”

Rather than viewing Duke as a traditional antihero, Charles hopes audiences recognize the humanity beneath his hardened exterior.

“Duke is not a monster,” he said. “Duke is wounded. He is a man who is capable of love. He has a heart, a good heart.”

Charles also hopes the series sparks larger conversations beyond its action-packed storylines.

“If there is a hope, it’s probably that it could even start a conversation about how we deal with pain, how we deal with trauma, how we deal with grief and the cost of violence,” he said.

Nicholas Pinnock Says Kingsley’s Greatest Weapon Is Control

While Charles explored the emotional burden carried by Duke, Pinnock embraced an entirely different challenge: portraying the primary antagonist.

“What made him different was I have never played the villain before,” Pinnock said. “I’ve never played the out-and-out bad guy. I’ve never played the head of a crime boss.”

The role pushed him into unfamiliar territory as an actor.

“That brought its own challenges,” he said. “To go to different areas of my skill set and mine the things that I needed to portray Kingsley in the best way possible; that was the challenge I was looking for.”

Although Kingsley isn’t present in every scene, Pinnock said his influence drives nearly every storyline throughout the series.

“Everything that happens around the show is basically because of Kingsley,” he explained. “He’s a catalyst for Duke’s journey. He’s the catalyst for Zeek’s journey. He’s a catalyst for Cece’s journey. His presence is everywhere. He is the dominant force within the arc of the series.”

Creating that presence required balancing intimidation with something more subtle.

“The balance was to manipulate,” Pinnock said. “When he was manipulating somebody in the scene, he would be a lot softer. He would coerce you into believing that what he was saying was the right path to go down, even though we all know it was probably not the right path.”

For Kingsley, leadership isn’t earned through compassion or trust. When asked what his character believes makes someone a true leader, Pinnock’s answer was immediate.

“Dominance,” he said. “Dominance. You have to dominate everything. Dictatorship. You lead, people follow. That’s what he’s striving for. He wants to dictate and dominate everything and everyone.”

Despite portraying one of the series’ most intimidating figures, Pinnock hopes audiences embrace the character for exactly who he is.

“First of all, I hope people are entertained,” he said with a laugh. “I hope people love to hate him as much as I loved playing him.”

Two Men, Two Very Different Definitions Of Strength

Although Duke and Kingsley are locked in a collision course throughout Fightland, Charles and Pinnock see their characters as reflections of two opposing philosophies.

For Duke, strength comes from surviving unimaginable loss while searching for peace in the aftermath of trauma. For Kingsley, strength is measured by the ability to control every room, every relationship and every outcome.

That emotional contrast sits at the center of Fightland, transforming what could have been a straightforward revenge story into a layered exploration of grief, power and the choices people make when they’re pushed to their limits.

Fightland premiered July 31 on STARZ, with new episodes streaming weekly on Fridays.