Back in 2016, the internet was a different place. The bridge between YouTube stardom and "real" Hollywood wasn't just narrow—it was basically a tightrope. So when two of the biggest names on the planet at the time, KSI and Caspar Lee, announced they were starring in a feature-film comedy, it felt like a massive moment for the digital generation.
Looking back at the Laid in America movie cast, it’s a weirdly fascinating time capsule. It wasn’t just a movie; it was a gamble to see if "influencer fame" could actually sell movie tickets (or, as it turned out, digital downloads). Honestly, if you watch it now, the vibe is pure 2010s chaos. It’s loud, it’s crude, and it features a roster of people who were essentially the royalty of early social media.
The Big Two: Duncan and Jack
At the heart of the story are Olajide "JJ" Olatunji (better known as KSI) and Caspar Lee.
KSI plays Duncan, who is basically the "confidence" of the duo, while Caspar plays Jack, the more reserved, often terrified one. They’re foreign exchange students in the U.S. on their last night before flying home. The mission? Lose their virginity. Classic American Pie or Superbad trope, right?
JJ has since gone on to become a boxing mogul and a chart-topping musician, but here, he was just a kid trying to prove he could act. His energy is through the roof. Caspar, on the other hand, leans into that bumbling, awkward persona that made him a hit on YouTube.
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The Supporting Players and Surprising Stars
What most people forget about the Laid in America movie cast is how many "actual" actors were packed into the background. It wasn't just YouTubers talking to each other.
Madison Iseman plays Kaylee, the girl Duncan is obsessed with. You’ve definitely seen her since then—she blew up in the Jumanji sequels and the I Know What You Did Last Summer series. Seeing her in this low-budget comedy is wild because she’s clearly a standout performer even then.
Then you’ve got Bobby Lee playing Goose. If you know Bobby Lee from Mad TV or his podcast TigerBelly, you know exactly what to expect. He’s frantic, unpredictable, and brings a level of professional comedic timing that the movie desperately needed.
Angela Kinsey also makes an appearance as Ms. Hopkins. Yes, Angela from The Office. It’s one of those "wait, is that really her?" moments that happens throughout the film.
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The YouTube Cameo Explosion
The directors, Sam Milman and Peter Vass, clearly knew their audience. They stuffed the movie with cameos that would make any 2016 teen scream.
- Josh Leyva as Tucker: The high school bully who makes life miserable for Duncan and Jack.
- Deji Olatunji: JJ’s actual brother plays Freddie. Their real-life sibling rivalry adds a meta-layer to their scenes.
- Timothy DeLaGhetto: A veteran of the YouTube game who pops up to add more "internet cred."
- Gabbie Hanna: Briefly appears as Lindsey.
- Bart Baker: Known for his music parodies, he has a small role as well.
It’s like a Who’s Who of the 2016 "Trending" tab. Looking at this list now is a bit of a trip because some of these people are still massive, while others have basically vanished from the public eye or moved on to entirely different careers.
Why the Cast Mattered More Than the Script
Let’s be real: critics absolutely trashed this movie. It sits with a pretty rough score on Rotten Tomatoes. But for the fans, the script was almost secondary. The draw was seeing these guys in a "real" movie format.
The production was handled by Universal Pictures, which gave it a level of polish that most YouTube projects lacked at the time. Yet, the humor remains very much in the vein of a 2016 YouTube skit—lots of yelling, slapstick, and jokes that probably wouldn't fly as well today.
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Interestingly, there’s a new series on Peacock also called Laid (starring Stephanie Hsu), and people keep getting the two confused. If you're looking for the KSI and Caspar Lee project, make sure you're looking for the 2016 film. The cast for the Peacock show is entirely different and involves people like Zosia Mamet and Finneas O'Connell.
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you're planning a rewatch or checking it out for the first time to see where these stars started, here’s the best way to approach it:
- Lower your expectations for the plot. It’s a road-trip sex comedy. It follows the formula to a T.
- Watch for the cameos. The fun is spotting people like Syd Wilder or Gerry Bednob (the "You know how I know you're gay?" guy from The 40-Year-Old Virgin).
- Appreciate the history. This was a pivotal moment in how studios viewed "digital creators." Without movies like this, we might not have the crossover stars we see today.
You can still find the movie on various VOD platforms like Amazon or Apple TV. It’s a piece of internet history that shows just how far the Laid in America movie cast has come—from making skits in their bedrooms to (briefly) taking over the big screen.
To see what the cast is up to now, your best bet is following KSI on his Misfits Boxing ventures or checking out Madison Iseman’s more recent horror and drama credits, which show a much wider range than this cult comedy allowed for.