Whether they’re skating on a rink in Lake Placid or speeding across a track in Le Mans, sports figures can make for sterling cinema.
Filmgoers eager to catch Will Smith’s turn as Venus and Serena Williams’ father in “King Richard” should check out these true-life marriages of sports and celluloid.
‘Ali’ (2001)
Two decades before “King Richard,” Smith portrayed Muhammad Ali in the movie about the boxing great’s life and career.
Smith captured Ali the athlete and activist, a performance that earned him the first of his two Oscar nominations. Many predict a third is on the way for “King Richard.”
‘42’ (2013)
There’s a reason you never see a current baseball player wearing No. 42.
Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the late Chadwick Boseman captured the dignity, strength and inner turmoil of a man who had to be brave and strong enough not to fight back against the vile physical and verbal attacks against him.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, the Dodgers GM who decided it wasn’t right for the sport to be as white as the actual baseball.
‘Ford v Ferrari’ (2019)
Got a need for speed? This is your movie.
Christian Bale and Matt Damon revved up audiences and critics alike with their drama about the Ford Motor Company’s attempt to build a race car capable of defeating Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
It was nominated for four Oscars, including best picture.
‘Raging Bull’ (1980)
It’s peak De Niro and peak Scorsese. Enough said.
