The 15 All-Time Best Acting Performances in Sports Movies

Sports movies are a staple of American cinema, and for good reason. They offer us a chance to escape into the world of our favorite sports, and to root for underdogs and champions alike. But what really makes a sports movie great is the performances. When an actor or actress truly embodies the character they’re playing, it can make all the difference.

Here is a list of the 15 best performances in sports movies, in no particular order:

• Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976): Stallone was a relative unknown when he wrote and starred in Rocky, but his performance as the down-on-his-luck boxer who gets a shot at the heavyweight championship made him a star. Stallone imbues Rocky with a vulnerability and determination that makes him impossible not to root for.
• Sean Astin as Rudy Ruettiger in Rudy (1993): Astin is simply perfect as Rudy, the small-statured underdog who dreams of playing football for Notre Dame. Astin’s never-give-up attitude and infectious enthusiasm make Rudy one of the most inspiring sports movies ever made.
• Denzel Washington as Herman Boone in Remember the Titans (2000): Washington gives a powerful performance as Boone, the African American coach who is tasked with leading a newly integrated high school football team in Virginia. Washington brings Boone’s strength, compassion, and determination to life in a truly unforgettable performance.
• Will Smith as Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001): Smith is a dead ringer for Ali in this biopic of the legendary boxer and activist. Smith captures Ali’s charisma, confidence, and wit, as well as his struggles with Parkinson’s disease.
• Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund in The Fighter (2010): Bale gives a transformative performance as Eklund, the crack-addicted former boxer who trains his younger brother, Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg). Bale is completely unrecognizable in the role, and he delivers a raw and emotional performance that is one of the best of his career.

Other notable performances on the list include:

• Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980)
• Gene Hackman as Norman Dale in Hoosiers (1986)
• Kevin Costner as Crash Davis in Bull Durham (1988)
• Tim Robbins as Nuke LaLoosh in Bull Durham
• Susan Sarandon as Annie Savoy in Bull Durham
• Wesley Snipes as Jimmy Chitwood in White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
• Woody Harrelson as Roy Hobbs in The Natural (1984)
• Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in Moneyball (2011)
• Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
• J.K. Simmons as Terence Fletcher in Whiplash (2014)
• Viola Davis as Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)

These are just a few of the many great performances in sports movies over the years. If you’re a fan of sports movies or just great acting in general, be sure to check out these films if you haven’t already.

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