If you’re anything like me, you probably spent a good chunk of the last decade watching a guy turn a paperclip and a piece of gum into a functioning GPS tracker. The CBS MacGyver reboot, which wrapped up its five-season run back in 2021, didn't just give us cool DIY hacks; it gave us a group of actors who felt more like a family than a tactical team.
Honestly, the cast of the new MacGyver had a weirdly tough job. They had to step into the massive shadows of 80s icons while trying to make a modern "think tank" spy agency feel grounded. We aren't just talking about Lucas Till’s mullet-free hair or George Eads’ Southern drawl. We’re talking about a group of people who kept the show alive through some pretty public behind-the-scenes drama.
Lucas Till as the Modern Angus MacGyver
Lucas Till basically carried the weight of the world—and the franchise—on his shoulders. He didn’t play Mac as a carbon copy of Richard Dean Anderson. Instead, he gave us a younger, slightly more vulnerable version of the character. This MacGyver was a former EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) tech with a genius-level IQ who fundamentally hated guns.
Fast forward to 2026, and Lucas is still keeping busy. You’ve probably seen the news about his marriage to Skyler Samuels back in 2024. As for his career, he’s moved into "gritty" territory. He spent much of last year filming The Abandons, a Netflix Western created by Kurt Sutter. It’s a far cry from the Phoenix Foundation, swapping Swiss Army knives for 1850s survivalism. Fans always ask if he’d go back to the role, and while there’s always those fake "2025 movie" trailers floating around YouTube with Ryan Gosling’s face edited in, Lucas remains the definitive modern Mac.
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The Jack Dalton Dilemma: George Eads
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. George Eads was the heart of the show's action for three seasons. His chemistry with Till was the "bromance" that kept people tuning in. But things got messy. Eads famously left the show in Season 3 after a rumored on-set altercation and a desire to move back to Los Angeles to be with his daughter.
Fans were devastated. It got worse when the writers decided to kill Jack Dalton off-screen in Season 5. It felt like a gut punch. One minute he’s off chasing a terrorist named Tiberius Kovacs, and the next, the team is attending his funeral. It remains one of the most controversial decisions in the reboot’s history. Nowadays, Eads keeps a pretty low profile, though he recently updated his IMDb photos, sparking a few "is he coming back to TV?" rumors that haven't quite materialized yet.
The Tech and the Muscle: Tristin Mays and Levy Tran
Tristin Mays played Riley Davis, the sarcastic hacker who was actually the emotional glue of the group. Her character’s backstory with Jack—he was her unofficial step-dad—added a layer of drama that most procedurals lack.
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Tristin has been super active on Twitch lately, often streaming for hours and chatting with fans about her time on the show. She’s also been teasing a new project filmed in Atlanta (the same city where MacGyver was shot), though she’s kept the details under wraps.
Then there’s Levy Tran, who stepped in as Desi Nguyen after George Eads left. She had the impossible task of filling the "overwatch" role. While some fans were salty about Jack leaving, Desi brought a totally different energy—martial arts expertise and a no-nonsense attitude that eventually led to a complicated romance with Mac. Recently, she had a small stint in the Bad Boys: Ride or Die movie, continuing her streak of playing tough-as-nails characters.
Who Else Ran the Phoenix Foundation?
You can't talk about the cast of the new MacGyver without mentioning the leadership.
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- Meredith Eaton (Matty Webber): She was the "Director of Operations" and, let’s be real, the only person Mac was actually afraid of. Meredith is a powerhouse. In real life, she’s been self-taping for new roles and recently posted some cryptic shots from the NBCUniversal lot.
- Justin Hires (Wilt Bozer): Mac’s best friend and the guy responsible for those incredibly realistic prosthetic masks. Justin is still doing stand-up and producing his own content. He’s always been the loudest advocate for a Season 6 or a reunion special.
- Henry Ian Cusick (Russ Taylor): He joined in Season 4 as the wealthy, eccentric ex-MI6 agent who basically bought the team after the government shut them down. Cusick is everywhere—he’s been doing voice work for The Wingfeather Saga and showed up in NCIS: Hawai'i before it ended.
Why the Cast Still Matters Today
The reason we’re still talking about these actors in 2026 is because MacGyver was one of the last "comfort" procedurals. It didn't take itself too seriously, but the cast took their characters very seriously. They survived showrunner changes, lead actor departures, and a sudden cancellation that left a lot of plot threads hanging—specifically that "nanobot" storyline from the series finale.
If you’re looking to keep up with the team, here is the best way to do it:
- Follow Tristin Mays on Twitch: She’s the most transparent about the "good old days" of filming.
- Watch 'The Abandons' on Netflix: If you want to see Lucas Till transition from a boyish hero to a rugged lead.
- Check out Henry Ian Cusick’s voice work: His range is honestly incredible, moving from Lost to The 100 to MacGyver.
The show might be over, but the "Phoenix Team" is still very much active in the industry. Whether we ever get that long-rumored reunion movie or not, the 2016-2021 cast managed to do something rare: they made an old name feel brand new.
Actionable Insight: If you're missing the chemistry of the Phoenix Foundation, skip the sketchy "Season 6" fan trailers on YouTube. Instead, check out the actors' current projects on platforms like Twitch and Netflix, where they often share behind-the-scenes stories about their time on the CBS set.