HBO’s upcoming drama series centered on the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s is further expanding its ensemble cast with the addition of Gillian Jacobs (Community, Invincible, Love) and Wood Harris (Remember the Titans, Ant-Man, Empire), according to Variety.
Jacobs is set to play Chris Riley, wife of Pat Riley (Adrien Brody). Pat might be the one wearing the whistle, but Chris is the one with a plan. Therapist by trade, Chris Riley uses her emotional expertise and strategic genius to shape the Lakers into champions.
Harris will play Spencer Haywood. In 1970, Haywood took the NBA to the Supreme Court and won the right to join the league before graduating college, paving the way for future greats like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. But the groundbreaking court case also won him a label: troublemaker. Haywood’s willingness to fight for his rights stymied the next nine years of his career. Joining the Lakers roster reignites his hope for a championship win, but first, he’ll have to face his own demons.
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Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s, the series will chronicle the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.
Pick up your copy of Jeff Pearlman’s book here!
The series also stars Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Jason Clarke as Jerry West, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bo Burnham as Larry Bird, Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, Gaby Hoffmann as Claire Rothman, Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss, Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, DeVaughn Nixon as Norm Nixon, Molly Gordon as Linda Zafrani, Rob Morgan as Earvin Johnson Sr., Spencer Garrett as Chick Hearn, Kirk Bovill as Donald Sterling, Delante Desouza as Michael Cooper, Stephen Adly Guirgis as Frank Mariani, Tamera Tomakili as Earletha ‘Cookie’ Kelly, and Joey Brooks as Lon Rosen.
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The untitled Lakers series is being written and executive produced by Max Borenstein (The Terror, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong), with Oscar winner Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice) having directed the pilot and executive producing through Hyperobject Industries alongside the label’s Kevin Messick, Jason Shuman, story co-writer Jim Hecht, Scott Stephens and Rodney Barnes.
