5 major casting choices for the upcoming HBO series on LA Lakers, 'Winning Time'; featuring Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, and more
The Los Angeles Lakers are known as one of the most legendary NBA franchises in the history of basketball. The organization has gone on to win a total of 17 championships during their tenure in the NBA. No run was more notable than the Lakers title era in the 1980s, which saw the team win five championships over the decade.
HBO recently announced that they will be releasing a new drama series that will take a look at the legendary Los Angeles Lakers team of the 80s. The series will be called "Winning Time" and is set to focus on the birth of the "Showtime" Lakers, including Hall of Fame superstar guard Ervin "Magic" Johnson.
Since the release of the trailer, the series has generated a serious amount of buzz around the basketball world, as a number of big named actors look to have prominent roles in the upcoming film. Here's a look at five of the actors who will be playing important roles in the new original series about the legendary Los Angeles Lakers team.
#5 Jason Clarke as Jerry West
The cast of "Winning Time" features a lot of exciting actors who will be taking on important roles when it comes to illustrating all of the pieces to the Lakers dynasty of the 80s. One of those roles will involve former Lakers point guard Jerry West, who will be played by hollywood actor Jason Clarke. The Australian-born actor has been in a number of films but is best known for his role in the television series "Brotherhood." One of his most notable movie roles came when Clarke played a major part in the crime film "Lawless," which focused on a violent conflict between three bootlegging brothers during the prohibition-era moonshine business.
The film featured two of Hollywood's biggest stars in Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf. Clarke will play an important piece in the story of former NBA legend Jerry West, who has been one of the most famous individuals who has ever been tied to the Lakers organization. West was a dominant player on the NBA court and is known as "the logo" for the NBA due to his greatness on the court
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#4 Jason Segel as Paul Westhead
One of the most pleasant surprises in the casting of "Winning Time" was the news that hollywood actor Jason Segel will take on the role of former Los Angeles Lakers coach Paul Westhead. The drafting of superstar point guard Magic Johnson coincided with Westhead taking over the Lakers head coaching duties, bringing the team its first championship of the decade.
His story involving his relationship with Magic Johnson and owner Jerry Buss will surely be something that the series will shed light on, as there seemed to be a rumored amount of friction behind the coach & owners' working relationship involving Westhead and Buss. Segel has been known for a number of his comedic performances over the years, including his roles in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "I Love You Man" and "Knocked Up." Surely cinema fans will be eager to see the type of character that Segel can deliver on the small screen.