Already set to play dearly departed Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia in a forthcoming Martin Scorsese-directed film for Apple, Jonah Hill will reportedly be assuming the role of another portly star who is as comfortable in the spotlight as he is at the buffet table.
According to Above the Line, Hill will portray “Bad Boy of Golf” John Daly in a forthcoming biopic that will be directed by Hotel Mumbai director Anthony Maras. The 38-year-old actor will also produce the project via his Strong Baby Productions company. Per ATL, the filmmakers are in the process of finding a writer to tee off on the script, which will “examine the excesses, scandals, and athletic achievements” of the 56-year-old PGA Tour golfer.
A two-time major winner and five-time Tour winner, Daly is known for his driving distance, personal style, and smoking cigarettes and eating fast food on the course. Off the course, the four-time divorcee has been outspoken about his struggles with substance abuse and gambling.
A fascinating character, Daly has previously been the subject of a documentary from ESPN entitled Hit it Hard. Here’s the synopsis: “If professional golf were put to country music, then the song would be about John Daly. Ever since he shocked the sports world by winning the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick 25 years ago, the blond bomber from Dardanelle, Arkansas has been one of the most-popular and polarizing figures in a sport that cherishes its traditions and minds its manners. In this revealing and rollicking 30 for 30 film, directors Gabe Spitzer and David Fine cover Daly’s rise and fall, his redemption at The Open in St. Andrews in 1995, and his struggles with booze, food, gambling, women and depression. They also uncover a person whose story runs much deeper than his motto of ‘Sip It, Grip It, Rip It.’”
Unfortunately, we don’t know as much about Hill’s forthcoming Daly project, but there’s every reason to believe it will include plenty of sipping, gripping and ripping. As for the Garcia film, Hill previously explained it only came into existence after he overcame a bout of self-doubt and had his manager reach out to Scorsese about the project.
“And then, Marty said, yes, he wanted to direct a movie about the Grateful Dead with me playing Jerry Garcia,” Hill said during an interview. “It goes [from] ‘I shouldn’t even send this because I’m not valuable enough to even express an idea to having your hero direct a movie about your [other] hero, you know? And so, it’s a beautiful story.”
Here’s Hill telling it:
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