HBO’s upcoming drama series centered on the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s has added seven new cast members, including Rory Cochrane (Reprisal), Danny Burstein (Blackhat), Austin Aaron (13 Reasons Why), Ta’Nika Gibson (Iron Fist), Edwin Hodge (Mayans M.C.), Terence Davis (Twenties), and Ja’Quan Cole (Sexless), according to Variety.
Cochrane will play Jerry Tarkanian, the coach of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels; Burstein portrays Vic Weiss, the manager and childhood best friend of Tarkanian; Aaron plays the hulking, lovable oaf Mark Landsberger; Gibson is Debbie Allen, a bright young star reaching new heights in her career; Hodge plays Ron Boone, a tough, crafty NBA veteran; Davis is Adrian Dantley, a stylish NBA All-Star destined for the Hall of Fame; and Ja’Quan Cole is hard-working NBA vet Ron Carter.
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Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s, the series will chronicle the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.
Pick up your copy of Jeff Pearlman’s book here!
The series also stars Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Jason Clarke as Jerry West, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bo Burnham as Larry Bird, Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, Gaby Hoffmann as Claire Rothman, Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss, Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, 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, Mike Epps as Richard Pryor, Carina Conti as Paula Abdul, Max E. Williams as Jack Nicholson, and Mariama Diallo as Iman, wife of Laker Spencer Haywood.
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The untitled Lakers series is being written and executive produced by Max Borenstein (The Terror, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong), with Oscar winner Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice) having directed the pilot and executive producing through Hyperobject Industries alongside the label’s Kevin Messick, Jason Shuman, story co-writer Jim Hecht, Scott Stephens, and Rodney Barnes.
