Oscars 2022 — Professional athletes who have taken a shot at acting
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On Sunday night at the 2022 Oscars (8 p.m. ET, ABC), Will Smith could finally add an Academy Award to his already stacked resume for his performance as Richard Williams, the father of Venus Williams and Serena Williams, in the film “King Richard.” In 2001, Smith also earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as Muhammad Ali in the film “Ali.”
While Smith is no stranger to portraying sports figures, there are plenty of athletes who have tried their hand at Smith’s trade.
In 2019, NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett appeared in Adam Sandler’s anxiety-inducing film “Uncut Gems” (if you know, you know).
Garnett wasn’t the first NBA star to grace the big screen, with Michael Jordan playing himself in the 1996 cinematic gift that was “Space Jam,” Ray Allen landing a starring role alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s iconic 1998 film “He Got Game” and Kyrie Irving making his first foray onto the silver screen, starring as the title character in “Uncle Drew” in 2018. Then, who could forget when LeBron James showed off his comedic chops in 2015’s “Trainwreck” and put a new spin on MJ’s cult classic as the lead in “Space Jam: A New Legacy” in 2021.
In honor of Hollywood’s big night, we’re taking a look at some of the most memorable roles athletes from across the sports world have played in movies.
Contents
Football
Jim Brown, “Any Given Sunday”
VIDEO: “Any Given Sunday”
Role: Defensive coordinator Montezuma Monroe
Memorable scene/quote: “Have you ever seen an old, punch-drunk boxer, stumbling around and drooling, with no memory of what he’s done in his life? Do you want that life, Luther?”
Other notable film credits: “Mars Attacks!,” “The Dirty Dozen”
O.J. Simpson, “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”
VIDEO: “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”
Role: Detective Nordberg
Memorable scene/quote: Simpson was the subject of a lot of physical comedy in the film, from going through a humorous series of pratfalls after being attacked in the…
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Source : espn
