Top 10 Possible good poker player celebrities:
1. Danica McKellar
McKellar, who starred as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years
and later played a speech writer on The West Wing,
has the perfect background for succeeding in poker.
McKellar doesn't just like math the way Natalie Portman does.
McKellar has a degree in mathematics from UCLA.
As an undergraduate, she co-authored a proof,
that appeared in a British mathematical physics journal
and presented the findings at a statistical mechanics conference
at Rutgers University. The combination of math and acting
is ideal for a poker player. It's the reason Vanessa Rousso is brilliant.
And if McKellar puts her mind to it, she would find herself
at the top of the poker world in a hurry.
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2. Sir Anthony Hopkins
Can anyone reading this imagine Phil Hellmuth
or Sam Farha trying run over Hannibal Lecter on the felt?
That's why he's No. 2 on the list.
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3. Natalie Portman
Don't underestimate this young actress. Sure,
she looked like she couldn't act her way out of paper bag
in those awful Star Wars prequels,
but there isn't an actress out there,
that could have saved that role. Instead,
look at her Oscar-nominated turn in Closer
and note just how brilliant and nuanced she can be.
Combine that with her Harvard degree in psychology
and a love for math and you get a person who can easily
grasp the finer points of poker and dominate.
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4. George Clooney
Everything Clooney touches turns into gold.
And there's no reason why poker shouldn't be any different.
His easy-going style and quick-witted charm would instantly
make him a favorite at any poker table. His quirky charm
and sense of humor will disarm fellow players
and ensure people will never know if he's bluffing or not.
Combine that with a rare sort of persona that allows people
to feel privileged losing money to Clooney
and you get an unstoppable force on the felt.
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5. Denzel Washington
Washington is the type of guy everyone wants at their home-game.
He appears to be an fun, affable sports fan, that can easily pull off
all the moves needed to be a successful poker player.
When he needs to be tough and mean at the table,
he can tap into his Frank Lucas character from American Gangster.
When he wants to be smooth, channel his Inside Man and Devil
in a Blue Dress roles. And when he goes all in at the end,
to knock you out of the game, he'll summon a quiet,
dignified, steely resolve that's all Denzel.
He would be a lot of fun to have at the table.
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6. Cameron Diaz
In addition to being a good actress, Diaz is tough
and has a pretty impressive competitive streak.
According to the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com),
Diaz has broken her nose four times and her wrist once.
"I grew up with a lot of boys," Diaz says on IMDB.
"I probably have a lot of testosterone for a woman."
"I would kiss a frog even if there were no promise
of a Prince Charming popping out of it," Diaz also said.
She would fit right in at most poker tables.
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7. Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is a freak, in a good way.
Even Cage admits he's a bit "different. I am not a demon.
I am a lizard, a shark, a heat-seeking panther.
I want to be Bob Denver on acid playing the accordion."
Would you want to play against that in a poker game?
Probably not.
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8. Scarlett Johansson
Johansson is possibly the best character actress of her generation.
She knows how to get so deep into a role that you completely forget
it's Scarlett Johansson on the screen. And she has that
old Hollywood feel that fits in nicely at the poker table.
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9. Demi Moore
Anyone that's seen G.I. Jane knows Moore has the tenacity
and toughness needed to survive at the poker table.
And after seeing her in Striptease (and stripping for Letterman),
there's no doubt that she's willing to take some crazy risks as well.
And that's a great combination on the felt.
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10. Kevin Spacey
As one of the best character actors in Hollywood,
Spacey clearly has the acting chops to be a good poker player.
He won Oscars for his roles in American Beauty and The Usual Suspects.
He knows more than a little bit about gambling thanks to his starring role
in the upcoming 21. And his acting range and authenticity, will make him
difficult to read at the table. He is a walking film history wikipedia
and if he could combine that brain with his acting skills at the table,
he'd be hard to beat.