Fresh off strong reviews for his turn in the Best Picture nomineePromising Young Woman, comedian-turned-filmmakerBo Burnhamhas been cast as Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird in HBO’s untitled series about the Showtime-era Lakers. Meanwhile,Jason Segelhas been tapped to play Lakers assistant coachPaul Westhead.
John C. Reillyis set to star as Lakers ownerJerry Buss, the self-made millionaire who transformed the Lakers into a basketball dynasty, sometimes at the expense of those closest to him, whileJason Clarkewill co-star asJerry West, the “cantankerous tortured genius of basketball,” per HBO. West ought to be the perfect man to build the Lakers into a dynasty, if only he could get past his own worst enemy — himself.
Oscar winnersAdrien BrodyandSally Fieldhave been cast as coachPat RileyandJessie Buss, the mother of Jerry Buss, whose business partner,Frank Mariani, will be played byStephen Adly Guirgis. L.A. slumlord and future Clippers ownerDonald Sterlingwill be played byKirk Bovill, andSpencer Garrettwill be famed Lakers play-by-play announcerChick Hearn.
On the court, newcomerQuincy Isaiahand former UC Berkeley basketball captainSolomon Hugheshave been cast as Hall of Fame teammatesMagic JohnsonandKareem Abdul-Jabbar, respectively, whileNorm Nixonwill be played by his own son,DeVaughn Nixon. Finally,Delante Desouzawill playMichael Cooper.
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Elsewhere, noted character actorRob Morganwill play Magic’s father,Earvin Johnson Sr., andTamera Tomakiliwill playEarletha “Cookie” Kelly, Magic’s girlfriend and future wife.Joey Brookswill playLon Rosen, a Forum employee who went on to become Magic’s agent, whileMolly Gordonwill playLinda Zafrani, another Forum employee who would later marry former LakerKurt Rambis.
The HBO series is based onJeff Pearlman‘s non-fiction bookShowtime, which chronicled the personal and professional lives of the Showtime-era Lakers — a team that defined its era, both on and off the court. Adam McKay directed the pilot and is executive producing alongsideKevin Messickand writerMax Borensteinas well as co-writerJim Hecht.Jason Shuman,Scott StephensandRodney Barnesround out the EP team.
In anexclusive interview with Collider, Borenstein recently described the series as “a love letter to basketball” that will have a structural resemblance to Netflix’sThe Crown. Bird was a constant thorn in the Lakers' side throughout the ’80s, so it makes sense that #33 would pop up in this show, which is also expected to cast someone asJack Nicholson.
Burnham wrote and directed the acclaimed indieEighth Gradefor A24 before playingCarey Mulligan’s love interest inPromising Young Woman, which is up for five Oscars next month. Burnham stands tall at 6'5" – only four inches shorter than Bird – so he should be able to pull off the role with the help of a feathered blond wig and some less-than-kind facial prosthetics. I can’t wait for the first images from this show, which is shaping up to be a doozy for HBO.
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