Adam Sandler and Queen Latifah are currently filming an NBA-focused film for Netflix, Hustle, in Philadephia. Production is ongoing and more actors have now joined the cast. Academy Award winner Robert Duvall and NBA player Juancho Hernangomez have both signed on for the film.
According to Deadline, the Jeremiah Zagar-directed project recently added multiple heavy-hitters, headlined by Duvall. The list includes Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma, Contraband), Jordan Hull (The L Word: Generation Q), Maria Botto (Mad Dogs) and Ainhoa Pillet. Sports commentator Kenny Smith rounds out the cast and adds another authentic NBA figure.
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The 24-year-old Spanish forward in Hernangomez agreed to sign on for the film but did not realize that he would miss workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team is taking part in voluntary work in their own bubble situation following the NBA Finals’ end. The league provided the opportunity for the teams that did not head to Orlando for the season restart in order for the players to spend crucial time together.
“He’s chomping at the bit to be here,” said Wolves president Gersson Rosas. “He didn’t realize when he signed up for the movie that we were going to have the bubble. So, we hear from him often that he would prefer to be here.”
Hustle stars Sandler as a down-on-his-luck basketball scout who discovers a “once-in-a-lifetime player” with a rocky past. Sandler’s character brings the prospect to the United States without his team’s approval. The pair then set out to prove that they have what it takes to make it in the NBA. Netflix originally acquired the rights to the film and then pitched it to Sandler. Now the noted basketball fan will put the NBA front and center once again, following on the heels of Uncut Gems.
Photographers recently spotted Sandler and Latifah in the streets of Philadelphia, filming scenes for Hustle. The pair walked down the street hand-in-hand while saying their lines. Between takes, the two actors wore facemasks and observed health and safety guidelines. Hustle marks the first time that the two have collaborated on a project.
While the nighttime scenes drew attention recently, Sandler and his co-stars will soon head to a local high school for indoor settings. The production company acquired temporary access to the Coatesville High School gymnasium to shoot some scenes. They can begin working at the location starting on Oct. 26. The production company will have possession of the gymnasium until early November. According to Lancaster Online, the school will receive substantial compensation for letting the production company use its facilities. The contract includes a new scoreboard and $81,170.
