NBA superstar LeBron James is starring in the upcoming movie Space Jam: A New Legacy. The film will mark James' largest acting role to date as he steps in for the sequel in which he will team with the Looney Toons to play basketball against the Goon Squad, powerful digital avatars of professional basketball players.
While Space Jam will be Lebron James' first leading role in a movie, he has been involved in filmmaking for over a decade, appearing in cameo and supporting roles in television shows and on the big screen. More recently, he has also started his own production company, SpringHill Company.
The LeBrons (4.4)
Based on a series of live-action Nike commercials in which LeBron James played all the members of a fictional family, The LeBrons is an animated web series that follows Kid, the youngest member of the clan who just wants to have fun. In the series, LeBron James voices Business, the slick entrepreneur of the family.
While the commercials were popular enough to inspire the series, the show garnered subpar reviews. There are three seasons of The LeBrons available online though there is a noticeable decline in the quality of the animation after the first season.
Teen Titans Go!: "The Cruel Giggling Ghoul" (5.7)
Teen Titans Go! is a Cartoon Network show that takes a comedic approach to its depiction of the Teen Titans, occasionally featuring big-name guest stars. In a clear parody of Scooby-Doo, the season 3 episode "The Cruel Giggling Ghoul" sees the Teen Titans travel to Whack-A-Doodles Amusement Park to watch LeBron James put on a dribbling exhibition.
The Teen Titans and LeBron James are shocked to find the theme park empty. The owner explains that the guests all left because of a mysterious two-headed ghoul, prompting the Titans to find the ghoul and solve the mystery.
SpongeBob SquarePants: "Truth Or Square" (5.8)
Since premiering on Nickelodeon in 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has become a beloved staple of children's entertainment. In 2009, the show celebrated its 10th anniversary of being on air with an hour-long television special titled SpongeBob's Truth or Square.
As part of the show, Patchy the Pirate tries to put on a TV Extravaganza, attempting to get as many celebrities as he can to agree to participate. This allows for numerous guest appearances including LeBron James, Robin Williams, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, and Rosario Dawson.
Cleveland Hustles (6.1)
In an effort to help revitalize the economy in Cleveland, LeBron James created the CNBC show Cleveland Hustles. The eight-episode show follows eight different contestants as they compete to be one of the businesses selected to receive investment and mentorship from the experts on the panel of investors.
Cleveland Hustles is a light and inspiring series that also has all the elements of a reality competition show. In addition to creating it, LeBron James also makes several cameo appearances throughout the season.
The Simpsons: "Homer And Ned's Hail Mary Pass" (6.1)
Over the course of its 32 seasons, The Simpsons has featured many appearances by celebrity guest stars. LeBron James' first crediting acting performance came as he played himself in a guest role on the season 16 episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass."
In the episode, Homer celebrates beating Bart at a carnival game with a ridiculous victory dance, which Ned films, causing Homer's celebration to go viral. While initially humiliated, Homer begins receiving calls from famous athletes, including LeBron James, asking for Homer to help them with their victory celebrations.
Trainwreck (6.2)
Directed by Judd Apatow, Trainwreck is a romantic comedy about a magazine writer named Amy who has her first serious relationship with Aaron, a well-known orthopedic surgeon. The movie subverts the typical Judd Apatow dynamic by making the female lead, played by Amy Schumer, the one with commitment and emotional maturity issues.
In the movie, LeBron James gives a hilarious performance playing a fictional version of himself. He is Aaron's friend and confidant. LeBron James plays a vital role in the story and he ends up being the one that convinces Aaron to go fix things with Amy.
The Shop (6.6)
The Shop is an unscripted talk show on HBO starring LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter. The show was created in an attempt to recreate the barbershop environment that serves as the backdrop for debates and conversations in communities across America.
In each episode, LeBron James and Maverick Carter welcome different celebrities and athletes into the barbershop and engage in conversations about sports, current events, race, politics, and life in general. The setting allows for a different approach, encouraging a more conversational tone than usually seen on talk shows.
Smallfoot (6.6)
Smallfoot is an animated family film that follows Migo, a member of a group of yetis in the Himalayas, who accidentally discovers a human, which the yetis believed to be just a myth. Migo brings a human, Percy, back to the yeti village and he teaches them about human culture.
However, when the yetis enter the human village, they discover that humans view them as monsters. The movie is a sweet story about tolerance and accepting differences. In Smallfoot, LeBron James plays a yeti named Gwangi.
Survivor's Remorse: "Guts" (8.2)
Survivor's Remorse is a Starz sitcom that ran for four seasons from 2014 to 2017. The series revolves around Cam Calloway, a professional basketball player who gets signed by Atlanta and moves his family from Boston. The show tackles issues of race, colorism, class, and sexuality.
Survivor's Remorse stars Jessie T. Usher, RonReaco Lee, Erica Ash, and Mike Epps. LeBron James served as an executive producer on it. Additionally, LeBron James made a guest star appearance in the season 2 episode "Guts" as himself.
Entourage: "Give A Little Bit" (9.3)
Entourage is an HBO comedy that follows the adventures of movie star Vincent Chase and his friends that make up his entourage. The show often featured big-name guest stars playing fictional versions of themselves.
In the season 6 episode "Give a Little Bit," Matt Damon pressures Vincent Chase into giving money to charity. Damon's efforts including enlisting Bono and LeBron James to help guilt Vincent. LeBron James makes a hilarious cameo appearance in which Vincent offers to match LeBron's donation, only to discover that LeBron has donated a million dollars.