HBO's L.A. Lakers Series Casts Actors to Play Jack Nicholson and Richard Pryor
Adam McKay’s HBO L.A. Lakers drama series has added more members to the cast including actors who will play actor and Lakers megafan Jack Nicholson and comedian Richard Pryor.
Max E. Williams (Dreamland) has been cast as Jack Nicholson, “icon, movie star… and one of the Lakers’ biggest courtside fans.”
Mike Epps is set to play Richard Pryor, “the prolific and boundary-breaking comedian who lived the Hollywood dream, sometimes in excess.”
Carina Conti (The Last Tycoon) will play Paula Abdul. “Before she was a decade-defining pop star, Paula Abdul was just a high school student from the San Fernando Valley, moonlighting as the innovative choreographer for the Laker Girls.”
Mariama Diallo plays Iman, “wife of Laker Spencer Haywood. Legendary supermodel Iman brought artistry to the runway and African beauty to the American masses.”
The series is being written by Max Borenstein, and it’s described as “a fast-break series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined its era, both on and off the court.”
The previously announced cast includes Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss, Jason Clarke as Jerry West, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rory Cochrane as Jerry Tarkanian, Danny Burstein as Vic Weiss, Austin Aaron as Mark Landsberger, Ta’Nika Gibson as Debbie Allen, Edwin Hodge as Ron Boone, Terence Davis as Adrian Dantley, Ja’Quan Cole as Ron Carter, Gillian Jacobs as Chris Riley, Wood Harris as Spencer Haywood, Tracy Letts as Jack McKinney, Julianne Nicholas as Cranny McKinney, Jimel Atkins as Jamaal Wilkes, LisaGay Hamilton as Christine Johnson, Andy Hirsch as David Stern, Brett Cullen as Bill Sharman, Lola Kirke as Karen West, Sarah Ramos as Cheryl Pistono, Gaby Hoffmann as Claire Rothman, Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss, 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, Joey Brooks as Lon Rosen and Bo Burnham as Larry Bird.
Source: Deadline