19 Side-By-Side Photos Of Actors Who Played Athletes And Absolutely Nailed Their Look
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With the Emmys announcing their nominations last week, awards season is officially on the horizon. (That is unless the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, which have largely halted Hollywood productions, put award shows on hold, too. Only time will tell.) Nevertheless, one of the most common awards show tentpoles for both TV and film is actors playing real-life people, including athletes.
This was notably the case in 2017 when Margot Robbie played Tonya Harding in the film, I, Tonya.
More recently, the shows Winning Time and Mike have chronicled the journey of famed sportspeople. So, in the spirit of highlighting incredible actors transforming for their roles, here are 19 performers who played actual athletes on screen to uncanny success:
Interested in actors who've played real-life singers? We've got a list for this trend, too.
1.Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson in Winning Time (2022–present):
Magic Johnson in 1989:
2.Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Winning Time (2022–present):
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar circa 1970s:
3.Trevante Rhodes as Mike Tyson in Mike (2022):
Mike Tyson in 1986:
4.Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney as Serena and Venus Williams in King Richard (2021):
Serena and Venus Williams in 1991:
5.Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya (2017):
Tonya Harding in 1991:
6.Emma Stone as Billie Jean King in Battle of the Sexes (2017):
Billie Jean King in 1973:
7.Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs in Battle of the Sexes (2017):
Bobby Riggs in 1973:
8.Shia LaBeouf as John McEnroe in Borg vs. McEnroe (2017):
John McEnroe in 1981:
9.Sverrir Gudnason as Björn Borg in Borg vs. McEnroe (2017):
Björn Borg in 1979:
10.Jake Gyllenhaal as Jeff Bauman in Stronger (2017):
Jeff Bauman in 2013:
11.Taron Egerton as Michael "Eddie" Edwards in Eddie the Eagle (2016):
Michael "Eddie" Edwards in 1988:
12.Stephan James as Jesse Owens in Race (2016):
Jesse Owens in 1936:
13.Kevin de Paula as Pelé in Pelé: Birth of a Legend (2016):
Pelé in 1955:
14.Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom in Mary Kom (2014):
Mary Kom in 2006:
15.Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013):
Jackie Robinson circa late-1940s and 1950s:
16.AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton in Soul Surfer (2011):
Bethany Hamilton in 2004:
17.Will Smith as Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001):
Muhammad Ali in 1977:
18.Jared Leto as Steve Prefontaine in Prefontaine (1997):
Steve Prefontaine in 1972:
19.Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980):
Jake LaMotta in 1949:
