Oscar Notables & Their Sports Counterparts

Another edition of the Academy Awards is in the books, and the Oscar participants share some similarities to the athletic world. Here are some sports counterparts for all the acting nominees, as well as a few other notables from Sunday’s ceremony.


BEST ACTRESS:

Marion Cotillard: Tony Parker. She’s a native of France who experienced triumph in the U.S.

Cate Blanchett (also nominated for Best Supporting Actress): Jim Tressel. She’s won the trophy before, but in a bid for a second, she lost out twice in short succession.

Julie Christie: Roger Clemens. She portrayed an Alzheimer’s patient, so her memories didn’t match up with the people around her.

Laura Linney: Billy Beane. She’s often in contention – usually in productions with a modest budget.

Ellen Page: Steve Nash. She’s short, Canadian, and helped a talented ensemble thrive.

BEST ACTOR:

Daniel Day-Lewis: Tiger Woods. No one had any doubt that he’d win on Sunday.

George Clooney: Tom Brady. A past winner, he came up a little short this February. But he’s still way more handsome than you.

Johnny Depp: Les Miles. He makes unconventional decisions, but you can’t argue with the results.

Tommy Lee Jones: Hanley Ramirez. Nominated for In the Valley of Elah, Jones gave a great performance that few people paid to see.

Viggo Mortensen: Maria Sharapova. He portrayed a Russian who was best remembered for a nude scene. (NOTE: The comparison is wishful thinking for male readers.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Tilda Swinton: David Beckham. She’s a Brit who got lots of media attention in L.A. And she didn’t make Americans care about soccer.

Ruby Dee: Pat Summit. She’s a woman who’s been at it a long time and still gets the job done.

Saoirse Ronan: Sidney Crosby. She was up for prestigious awards despite being a teenager.

Amy Ryan: Bill Belichick. She portrayed a thoroughly unlikable character who lives in Boston.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Javier Bardem: Troy Polamalu. His character was distinctive for his brutality and his hair.

Casey Affleck: Serena Williams. He’s the younger sibling who turned out to be the more talented one.

Philip Seymour Hoffman: Chris Douglas-Roberts. He uses three names and consistently gives strong performances.

Hal Holbrook: Joe Paterno. He’s in his 80’s but shows no signs of quitting.

Tom Wilkinson: Bruce Pearl. His character alternated between crazy and brilliant.

OTHER OSCAR FIGURES OF NOTE:

Diablo Cody: Jimmie Johnson. She prefers a fast pace and is familiar with the pole position.

Joel and Ethan Coen: Peyton and Eli Manning. They’re brothers who both got to experience the ultimate victory lately.

Jon Stewart: Isiah Thomas. He lives in New York and is a constant source of comedy.