2000, 2001, 2002. Three straight seasons, three shiny championship rings. And one towering name holding it down every time, 7-foot-1 Shaquille O’Neal. Not only did he show up, but he also dominated, snagging Finals MVP honors in all three title runs. That stretch? Pure basketball royalty. And now, over two decades later, Shaq’s still finding ways to surprise his fans. And what he just revealed might leave everyone stunned.
Famer. Successful entrepreneur. Business mogul. Philanthropist. Musician. And yes, a surprisingly famous actor too. But here’s something most people don’t know: one of Shaq’s all-time favorite movies is the 1980 classic Fame. And believe it or not, he actually credits that movie for his three championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers. Yep, you read that right. Of all the things that could’ve inspired Big Diesel’s dominance, it was a high school performing arts film from the ’80s that got the job done.
In the latest episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, Adam Lefkoe dropped a fun fact: “You know that one of Shaq’s favorite movies was ‘Fame.’” Now, if you thought Shaq would deny it, think again. Big Diesel proudly doubled down, saying, “I used to be Leroy back in the day.” And if you know anything about Fame, Leroy Johnson was a ballet prodigy. It’s one of those unexpected facts that somehow makes total sense for a guy like Shaq.
And here’s the thing, there’s legit science behind this. As Kerry Washington pointed out, “They always talk about how, like, if you study ballet, it could make you a better player of basketball.” That connection between grace and game is real. Shaq even confirmed it with a grin, “That’s what I did.” Honestly, it tracks. That footwork in the paint wasn’t just genetic. But then came the showstopper. Lefkoe tossed out the million-dollar question, “How many of the Lakers’ titles can we credit to ballet?”
And in pure Shaq fashion, he didn’t hesitate: “All of them.” This is nothing but an example of Classic Shaq. Turning a random ‘80s dance flick into the secret weapon behind three straight NBA titles. Only he could make that sound both hilarious and kind of believable.
Shaquille O’Neal’s got a long list of nicknames: Superman, The Diesel, etc. But somewhere in there, you might wanna pencil in Movie Star. Because truth be told, post-NBA Shaq has been absolutely thriving. Between breaking down games on TNT’s Inside the NBA, being the face of about a hundred commercials, and building an empire of investments, Big Diesel stays booked and busy.
And turns out, he’s got his sights set on Hollywood, too. Back in a 2018 interview, Shaquille O’Neal didn’t hold back about his movie ambitions. When asked about his plans in the industry, he came through swinging: “I want to be as big as Rock,” Shaq admitted.
Now, that’s a big swing. Because, as the interviewer pointed out, “Dwayne Johnson is the biggest movie star on the planet. That’s setting a high bar.”
But Shaq wasn’t rattled. “We come from the same place: athletes that transition. That’s my goal. I want similar type movies, I want to get thrillers, I want to get dramas, I want to do comedies. I want to be the next Rock, I want to do a thriller where I’m like a hero and beat up all the bad guys.”
And honestly? That’s peak Shaq energy right there, chasing bigger dreams without ever losing his playful, larger-than-life vibe. Can you imagine Shaq stomping through a thriller, tossing bad guys like rag dolls? We’d buy a ticket. Twice. No questions asked.
