Want to know which poker players made it to the big screen? Find out more in this post!
If you have been playing poker for some time now, part of your influence must have come from the best poker players that you know. The influence will even be bigger once you know that your idols have made it to movies and music videos as well. Here is a list of the best in this ‘industry’ and the projects they have emerged in.
Daniel Negreanu for the Film ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’
Negreanu who hails from Canada has won six World Series of Poker bracelets and was included in the Poker Hall of Fame in 2014. He appeared in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ in 2009 in a scene where Hugh Jackman who plays Wolverine, was playing poker with Taylor Kitsch’s Gambit. The poker professional was seen sitting and watching while a fight went between Wolverine and Gambit.
Aside from the film, he also appeared in Katy Perry’s music video “Waking Up in Vegas”. He played as himself in this video and was seen having a game with Katy Perry and Joel David Moore who won over Negreanu in the scene.
Phil Hellmuth for Ludacris’ Music Video ‘Sex Room ‘
The 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event champion is seen playing poker with Ludacris and his friends in famous Las Vegas in this music video. The song Sex Room is from the rapper’s album entitled Battle of the Sexes. The brief appearance of Hellmuth is something for the keeps at least in his household. The music video only went as high as number 69 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Johnny Chan for the Film ‘Rounders’
Landing a cameo role in the 1998 movie ‘Rounders’ is two-time World Series of Poker Main Event champion Johnny Chan. This movie is about Mike, played by Matt Damon, who was forced to return to poker playing so that he can help his friend Worm, played by Edward Norton, to pay off a huge amount of money to loan sharks. Playing as himself, Chan appeared after Mike reminisces a scene where he is convincing John Turturro’s character, Joey, to compete against the best poker masters from all over the world.
Phil Laak for the Film ‘Runner Runner’
Phil Laak is known for owning his own WSOP bracelet and for a World Poker Tour title. The Irish poker professional is not as decorated as other professional poker players but he managed to appear in a scene in ‘Runner Runner’ to highlight poker and its influence in the film industry. The film, though, is not that successful and was rated 5.9 in IMDB.
Chris Ferguson for the Film ‘Lucky You’
Released in 2007, Lucky You is a story about a talented poker player named Huck Cheever which was played by Eric Bana and his roller-coaster relationship with his father named L.C. Cheever played by Robert Duvall who was also once a professional poker player. Ferguson, alongside other poker players like Antonio Esfandiari, Erik Seidel, Doyle Brunson, and Dan Harrington among others, had a cameo in this film as shots were taken around poker rooms in Las Vegas. Ferguson is known for winning the WSOP Main Event in 2000.