HOUSTON (AP) — Boban Marjanovic wants to be America’s next big action hero.
Coming off his role in “Happy Gilmore 2 " with Adam Sandler, the Serbian former NBA player has higher aspirations for his budding acting career. The 7-foot-4 baller is a big fan of Ryan Reynolds’ depiction of Deadpool in the Marvel superhero film of the same name.
“Action always because everybody wants to be like tough guy acting, fighting everybody,” Marjanović told The Associated Press in a recent interview from Serbia. “But
you know how Deadpool is, I want to be something like that but in my way.”
He calls acting his second love behind basketball and he’s open to almost any role.
“I don’t have ego about acting because I’m still learning for every single moment, every single actor, every single producer, every friend who I have in acting,” he said. “I learn every moment, every time, every day. And for me everything is new. Whatever you tell me, I’d be like, hey, no, I’ll try to do it.”
Marjanovic’s entry into acting came easily. While playing for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2018-19, producers took note of his size and performance on the court and thought he’d be perfect for a role in “John Wick: Chapter 3.”
The idea: A fight scene between Marjanovic and 6-foot-1 star Keanu Reeves that would evoke memories of NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s iconic scene with Bruce Lee in the in the 1978 movie “Game of Death.”
“It was their idea to make same fight, similar fight like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bruce Lee with all big feet, all big moves and everything,” he said. “And to be something to remember for like basically the rest of the life because like everybody knows that fight. And now when people talk about me, people remember about that fight about John Wick and me.”
The feedback Marjanovic received from that role gave him confidence as an actor, with producers raving about his performance.
“When I hear that it was amazing,” he said. “I was like yeah, I love the camera, this can be a real life. From that time, I started to really enjoy being there. Before that I was a little bit like I can’t, I’m shy whatever, but right now I don’t have a problem with that.”
Since that role, Marjanovic has appeared in commercials for Goldfish crackers, State Farm Insurance and movies including “Hustle” with Sandler and “Self Reliance” before reuniting with Sandler recently for “Happy Gilmore 2,” a golf comedy streaming on Netflix. He is currently shooting the upcoming television series “Robin Hood” where he said the work is as challenging if not more challenging than playing in the NBA.
“It’s not easy,” he said. “You need to be in shape.”
Along with his budding acting career, Marjanovic’s has found another passion outside of basketball in being a DJ. He’s a big fan of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, who has found success as DJ Diesel. But you won’t see him adopting a special DJ name.
“I’m just Boban,” he said.
Marjanovic put his DJ skills on display at the Berlin Love Parade and released his debut single “I Just Wanna” last year. He has plans to appear at more festivals and is working on new music, with some songs expected to be out next month.
“This is the passion when you feel the rhythm, feel the music … when people who I play music for, if they’re happy I’m happy too," he said. "Because it’s not about me it’s about everybody else.”
Along with his new jobs, Marjanovic, who also has a home in Dallas, keeps busy with a family that includes wife Milica and sons Vuk, who is 14, and 10-year-old Petar. He said they both play basketball, but he doesn’t think that either son shares his passion for the game. Marjanovic also noted that they’re both “regular sized, like a normal person.”
“Maybe they’ll get bigger, but my wife is not that tall, and I guess maybe they pick it up from the wife,” he said. “But who cares? I want them to be healthy and to be happy and to chase their dreams, whatever they are.”
Marjanovic spent nine seasons in the NBA, last playing for the Houston Rockets in the 2023-24 season and played in the Chinese Basketball Association this year. And while Marjanovic, who just turned 37, is chasing his other dreams, he hasn’t given up on his first love.
He’s in the gym every day, is feeling great and says he has 4.5% body fat.
“My goal to get back in NBA and my door is open for that because this is where I belong,” he said.
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