10 Performances That Prove NBA Players Make The Best Movie Stars

7. Tony Parker - Astérix Aux Jeux Olympiques (2008)

That's right, it's not just American studios making comic book films! In the same year as the U.S.A. released Iron Man and The Dark Knight, over the pond in France they brought out...this. Based loosely on the comic of the same name (the translation of which is Astérix at the Olympic Games), the film follows the adventures of Astérix and his sidekick Obelix as they attempt to win the Olympics (sometime around the...3rd century AD? Maybe?).Obélix is played by Gérard Depardieu, thus fulfilling the requirement, under French law, that he appear in every single one of their films. It was financially successful but critically panned, even winning the Worst Film of 2008 category at the Gérard du Cinéma awards, which are the French answer to the Razzies. No prizes for guessing where they got the name. The filmmakers decided to add some legitimacy to the enterprise by having real French athletes play the Olympic competitors. Zinedine "Zizou" Zidane, one of the greatest footballers of all time, makes an appearance and is basically charming. Tennis star Amélie Mauresmo pops up, as does Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, who is actually German, not French, but let's not split hairs as clearly the filmmakers didn't. And most importantly it features Tony Parker, one of the most elegant point guards to ever grace the French Basketball League and the NBA and one of the most adorable humans to ever be forced into a toga. He doesn't have to do much in the film except stand around holding a ball in a glorified sheet and he does both those things with panache. He even overcomes the misfortune of playing a character called "Tonus Parker" which is appalling laziness on the part of the screenwriter. Though it could be worse. Schumacher's character is called "Schumix" which is not only just as lazy but also brings to a blender made exclusively for feet.