‘Winning Time’ Star DeVaughn Nixon on the Surreal Experience of Playing His Dad, Lakers Legend Norm Nixon
variety.comMichael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeWhen DeVaughn Nixon and Norm Nixon Jr. both showed up in the casting offices of HBO’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” on the same day — at the same time — it could have been awkward.
And at first, it was.“They both lovingly shit talked each other,” says exec producer Max Borenstein. “They were competitive, because they’re brothers, but it was a kind of a ‘may the best man win.’”The Nixon brothers were there to audition for the role of their father, early 1980s Los Angeles Lakers point guard Norm Nixon.
Both are established actors, so perhaps it was only natural that they’d be the frontrunners for the gig. It’s an important role early in the series, as new owner Jerry Buss (John C.
Reilly) recruits rookie Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) to inject some life into the stagnant team. But Johnson was a point guard — a position already filled by Norm Nixon. “We needed somebody who could really pull off that complex mix of ego, arrogance, talent, feeling threatened, being incredibly charming, but also carrying with him a chip on his shoulder.
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