If Shane Warne is to get a movie, who else could play our sporting greats?
With news that Shane Warne is in talks for a movie about his days in the Indian Premier League, it got me to thinking — which Hollywood stars, dead or alive, could live up to our Aussie sporting heroes, asks MIKE COLMAN?
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With news that Shane Warne is jetting off to Hollywood to discuss making a movie about his days in the Indian Premier League and favours someone “super cool” to play him, it got me to thinking.
If Warnie gets someone on his wishlist like Chris Hemsworth or Leonardo di Caprio in the title role, who would be the best actors — living or departed — to play other Aussie sporting identities in biopics?
Say Wayne Bennett for instance. No surprises here, there’s really only one man for the job, and that’s Clint Eastwood. The best thing is he wouldn’t even have to do an Australian accent because it would be a silent.
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Anthony Mundine would be an interesting one. Watching the new miniseries Godfather of Harlem over the past few weeks I couldn’t help noticing that Nigel Thatch, the actor who plays Malcolm X, bears a striking resemblance to The Man.
They’ve just wrapped a film about Eddie Jones and the Japan rugby team’s 2015 win over the Springboks but I do have a few doubts about the casting of Maori actor Temeura Morrison from Once Were Warriors as Eddie.
Personally I would have preferred Pat Morita who played Mr Myagi in the original Karate Kid. I mean, wouldn’t you just love to see a scene where Eddie lines up the Japanese forwards and barks at them, “Wax on, wax off”?
A movie about the life of Alife Langer would make a great short and I can think of only one actor who would fit the role, literally. Danny DeVito.
Another film that cries out to be made is ‘Sandpapergate’ and I reckon the three main roles pick themselves. Who else could play Smith, Warner and Bancroft than Mo, Larry and Shep from the Three Stooges?
There was some talk of a movie about the career of Jeff Horn a few months back. I’m thinking it might currently be on the back burner — or in “turnaround” as they say in the biz — but if it does get the green light I can see Matt Damon playing The Hornet and Matthew Lillard (Shaggy from Scooby Doo) as his trainer Glenn Rushton.
If they ever make a bio-pic about the life and times of Nick Kyrgios I think Johnny Depp would be a good choice. They could even adapt the title from one of Johnny’s old films: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (and Washington and New York and Wimbledon and Shanghai and Rome and Melbourne).
Soccer films aren’t big box-office here in Australia but a movie about the short, colourful history of Gold Coast United might earn cult status in the UK and US. Especially with John Candy playing owner Clive Palmer.
And then of course there is the six million dollar question. Just who could play Gus Gould in the movie which will surely be made of his life story?
It would take the oratory skills of Kenneth Branagh, the comedic timing of Ricky Gervais, the screen presence of Anthony Hopkins, the self-confidence of Tom Cruise and the jowls of John Goodman.
Who could possibly pack all those attributes into one body?
No, you’re right. There’s only one person who could do justice to the role: Gus would just have to play himself.
Start engraving the Oscar.
Originally published as If Shane Warne is to get a movie, who else could play our sporting greats?