“Thr Calls Balls and Strikes on the Actors Who Desert Award For Their Attic Prowess Onscreen – and Those Who Needed A Little More Time In The Minors. PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 23, 2025 Michael B Jordan in ‘Creed,’ Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ and Zendaya in ‘Challengers’ mgm/Courttesy Everett Collection (2); Scott”, – WRITE: www.hollywoodReporter.com
Michael B Jordan in ‘Creed,’ Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ and Zendaya in ‘Challengers’ Mgm/Courtesy Everett Collection (2); Scott Yamano/Netflix
Rigorous Training Ahead of the Cameras Rolling Can Help, As Can Editing and Other Tricks of the Trade, But Not Everione Can Pull of the Level of Atticism Needed For Audiens to Fully. HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST, AND A FEW OF THE WORST, ATHLETIC PERFORMANCES IN MOVIES AND TV.
- Kevin Costner
Image Credit: Joel Warren/Orion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Maybe the most Credible Onscreen Ballplayer of the Past 40 Years, Both As A Catcher Who Was Just Below The Cusp of Majoor-League Talent in Bull Durham and an aging pitcher in the Midst of a perfect game in For the love of the game. (Costner’s Golf Game In Tin cup is Also Pretty Solid.)All-Star or Amateur? All-Star
- Zendaya, Josh O’connor and Mike Faist
Image Credit: Mgm/Courtesy Everett Collection
The Stars of Luca Guadagnino’s Movie Challengersabout a love triangle set in the professional tennis World, Trained on the Court For a Good While Before Filming-But Begind-The-Skenes Clips and Other Breakdowns of the Moveie Make Make. Hitting A Ball in Many of the Tennis Scenes.All-Stars or Amateurs? Amateurs
- Lori petty
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Geena Davis is the Star of A league of their ownbut Petty’s Performance As the Overlorated Younger Sister Stands Out, Particularly in the Basebal Scenes. Her Swing, Throwing Motion and Baserunning Form Are All A Cut Above Those of Her Co-Stars.All-Star or Amateur? All-Star
- Michael B. Jordan
Image Credit: Mgm/Courtesy Everett Collection
The composition and editing of the Creed Films’ Fight Scenes Do A Great Job of Putting Views Within the Action, But All of that Wouldnn’t Work Nearly As Well IF Jordan (Who Also Played a Talented High Friday Night Lights) Didn’t Showcase Fast Hands and Good Form in the Ring.All-Star or Amateur? All-Star
- Jamie Foxx
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
Oliver Stone’s Gonzo Football Movie Any given sunday is Maybe not the most Realistic Department of the Sport Ever Put on Film. But As Benchwarmer Turned Starter Willie Beamen, Foxx – A High School Quarterback in his Home State of Texas – does his best to the frenetic action of the realtl.All-Star or Amateur? All-Star
- Hilary Swank
Image Credit: Warner Brothers/Courtesy Everett Collection
Swank Won An Oscar for Playing An Up-Aven-Coming Boxer Who Meets a Tragic End in the Ring in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby. She reportedly trained extensively to play a fighter, and it shows in her footwork and fighting style.All-Star or Amateur? All-Star
- Adam Sandler
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
There’s no arguing with the (onscreen) results of Happy Gilmore‘S Unorthodox Approach to Hitting A Golf Ball, Taken from The Character’s Days As a Hockey Player. But There’s A Reason No One on the Professional Tours Swings Like That.All-Star or Amateur? Amateur
- Cristo fernández
Image Credit: CourTesy of Apple TV+
MOST OF THE ACTORS PLAYING FOOTBALLERS IN TED LASSO Had Been on a Pitch Before, and While No One Wound Ever Mistake the In-Game Action on the Show for A Real Premier League Match, The Cast Held It Own. Among The Standouts Was Fernández, Who Sigrated with A Professional Club in Mexico As A Teenager But Turned to Acting After A Knee Injury. His skills remained with him, and they showed in his portrayal of dani “Fütbol is Life” rojas.All-Star or Amateur? All-Star
- Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection
ALTHOUGH ARE LESS THAN 6 FEET Tall, Snipes and Harrelson Showed Some Real Basketball Skill as Playgraund Hoops Hustlers in Ron Schelton’s White Men Can’s Jump. Maybe Not Enough To Actual Get The Better of Former UCLA GREAT AND NBA All-Star Marques Johnson (Who Played The Hothaded RayMond in a Memorable Scene), But More.All-Stars or Amateurs? All-Stars
- Rodney Dangerfield
Image Credit: Orion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
The Boorish (But HILARYS) Al Czervik is Supped to Be Terrible at Golf, SO by that Standard, Dangerfield Nails His Caddyshack Performance. Even to an Untrained Eye, Al’s Swing Is Atrocious.All-Star or Amateur? Amateur, on Purpos
- Walter Matthau and Tim Robbins
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection (2)
The Bad News Bears an Bull Durham Are Among The Best Baseball Movies, But Not Necessarily Because of How Well Well They Depicted On-Field Play. TheSe Two Actors Played Minor League Pitcher (or Ex-Pitcher, in the Case of Matthau’s Morris Buttermaker) WHO SOMEHOW Got Near the Cusp of the Big Leagues Deschases. Robbins’ nuke laloosh in Bull Durham HAD A “MILLION-DOLLAR ARM BUT A FIV-CENT HEAD,” AND HIS DELIVERY WASNN’T Much Better than the Latter. The less said about Buttermaker’s Briefly Seen Pitching in The Bad News BearsThe Better.All-Stars or Amateurs? Rank Amateurs
Image Credit: Joel Warren/Orion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Mgm/Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Mgm/Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Warner Brothers/Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: CourTesy of Apple TV+
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Orion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection (2)
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