http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lebron-james-reveals-ambitious-plan-772367
LeBron James Reveals Ambitious Plan to Build Hollywood Empire: "Winning Is the First Thing That Matters"
His stardom already has opened doors in Hollywood. Spring Hill Productions, named for the housing complex James moved into with his mother when he was in sixth grade, is growing a portfolio of TV and digital projects where ownership and creative control are elemental: the Disney series
Becoming; the Starz scripted dramedy
Survivor's Remorse; the reality show
Uninterrupted for Turner's digital platform Bleacher Report; a trivia game-show pilot for NBC. Sources say the company is close to finalizing a deal for a series show on CNBC — which has had success in primetime with reruns of
Shark Tank — that will have James and Carter leading the transformation of distressed businesses. And they also are talking to executives at NBCUniversal's male-targeted Esquire Network about a "bucket list" show featuring James.
James' agents at WME are notching a series of modest TV deals to gain a foothold in an industry that — at least in the unscripted space — is creatively challenged and economically lean. And though he expresses no interest in sportscasting, James' turn this summer in
Judd Apatow and
Amy Schumer's feature
Trainwreck — playing himself as co-star
Bill Hader's best friend — could be seen as a trial balloon for an onscreen career.
"We tested the movie, and he gets laughter as big as anyone," says Apatow. "The only fear you ever have with people of his stature is whether or not they're game to have fun and take chances. They'll say: 'I don't want to say that. That will sound weird. That's not good for my reputation.' LeBron is a very strong actor, and he has a fantastic sense of humor. We do a lot of improvisation, and he was really good at it. As a result, it's a really fun, wild, slightly strange performance that really scores."