Winner and a Movie: 10 Athletes and Actors Who Can Play Them on the Big Screen

It was announced recently that Jake Gyllenhaal has signed on to play Joe Namath in an upcoming biopic.

And now, the burning question in my mind (other than who they are going to get to play Suzy Kolber) is what other athletes should get their own movies, and who would play them?

Here are some that I came up with.

Denzel Washington as Michael Jordan

How there hasn't been a good movie yet about Michael Jordan, I have no idea—and no, Space Jam doesn't count.

Washington would be the ideal choice to play Jordan. He's one of the best actors out there, and he could perfectly portray Jordan's intensity. And we know from He Got Game that Denzel can ball.

Viggo Mortensen as Wayne Gretzky

Mortensen is most famous for playing a King in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so he would fit right in playing the Great One.

And let's face it, the resemblance is there.

John Cena as Mark McGwire

You would need somebody playing McGwire to have comparable biceps, which John Cena obviously does.

Just have Cena grow a goatee and color his hair red, and I think he would make a great McGwire. Throw in a scene where he goes on a 'roid rage and starts smashing up the locker room with a bat, and we have a movie that I'm willing to pay to see.

Mark Pellegrino as Joe Montana

For anyone who has seen Dexter or Lost, you might recognize Mark Pellegrino. If not, you still have to admit that he does look at lot like the legendary quarterback.

If Joe Namath can get his own flick, I say that Montana, one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, should get his own too. Heck, put it on a fast track and get it out the same time as the Namath movie.

It could be Joe vs. Joe at the box office.

Robert Pattinson as Larry Bird

Pale? Check.

Goofy hair? Check.

Tall and kinda gangly? Check.

Yep, I think Pattinson would be a great Larry Bird. If nothing else, he would introduce millions of screaming pre-teens to the game of basketball.

Adam Beach as Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe was possibly the greatest overall athlete of all time. That deserves a movie.

Adam Beach would play him. There's no doubt about that. He has automatic dibs on any good Native American role in Hollywood.

He would snatch this one up in a second.

Adrian Grenier as Pete Sampras

With people trying to figure out who was better, Roger Federer or Pete Sampras, Hollywood should cash in with a movie about Sampras.

Entourage's Adrian Grenier would be perfect. He's got the dark features and wavy hair of Sampras.

I think it would be a good movie. It would at least be better than Medellín.

Will Smith as Jim Brown

If Will Smith bulked up a little bit more, he could definitely play a young Jim Brown.

He would have to bulk up a lot to play

Anthony Anderson as Charles Barkley

Nobody needs a movie more than Charles Barkley.

And who better to play the rotund funny man than rotund funny man Anthony Anderson?

We already know that Anderson can play some ball, so let's see him lace them up as the Round Mound of Rebound.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as John Daly

Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, and you would need that kind of range to play John Daly.

Not only would you have to be funny, as Daly is one of the funniest characters in sports, but you would also have to play the complete and utter desperation of a man struggling to get his life back together after hitting bottom.

I smell an Oscar.

Anthony Anderson as Charles Barkley

Nobody needs a movie more than Charles Barkley.

And who better to play the rotund funny man than rotund funny man Anthony Anderson?

We already know that Anderson can play some ball, so let's see him lace them up as the Round Mound of Rebound.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as John Daly

Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, and you would need that kind of range to play John Daly.

Not only would you have to be funny, as Daly is one of the funniest characters in sports, but you would also have to play the complete and utter desperation of a man struggling to get his life back together after hitting bottom.

I smell an Oscar.