HBO's 'Luck' - Cast of characters, real-life inspirations
Those hoping to get lucky in "Luck" include:
THE HIGH ROLLERS |
THE BODYGUARD |
THE WOMAN WITH A CAUSE |
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Chester "Ace" Bernstein Played by Dustin Hoffman After three years in prison, Bernstein has big plans--revenge, buying Santa Anita, winning some big races with an expensive horse from Ireland. |
Michael Smythe Michael Gambon A wealthy, win-at-any-cost businessman from England, who was a one-time partner of Ace Bernstein's. |
Gus Demitriou Dennis Farina Gus and Ace go way back. Gus will do anything for Ace, including fronting as owner of Bernstein's horse. |
Claire LeChea Joan Allen She wants to help prisoners and retired horses; that's enough to get Ace's ear. |
THE GANG THAT SOMETIMES SHOOTS STRAIGHT |
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Marcus Kevin Dunn He is confined to a wheelchair, has heart disease, and doesn't know where his next pick-six payoff is coming from. |
Jerry Jason Gedrick Between the track and the card clubs, he needs one habit to support the other. |
Lonnie Ian Hart For Lonnie, beating the races isn't enough. He wants to own a champion horse, too. |
Renzo Ritchie Coster He lives on disability checks and what few wits he has. |
THE RACE TRACKERS |
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Walter Smith Nick Nolte A trainer who knows horseflesh, "The old man" speaks softly, sometimes inaudibly, but can get tough when he needs to. |
Turo Escalante John Ortiz A Peruvian trainer who wants to cash bets and win races, in that order. |
Jo Jill Hennessy A veterinarian who lives with Escalante, and loves him in spite of himself. |
Ronnie Jenkins Gary Stevens A jockey whose best days are behind him. He's fighting the demons and doing the best he can. |
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Rosie Kerry Condon A jockey who needs a break, a big horse to escape from oblivion. |
Leon Micheaux Tom Payne An apprentice rider with a weight problem. |
Joey Rathburn Richard Kind A jockey agent with a stutter, an ex-wife, and not-so-thick skin. |
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As inspired by... |
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| David Milch (center) in 2001 with jockey Jose Valdivia (left) and Julio Canani, trainer of the Milch-owned Val Royal and the inspiration for "Luck" character Turo Escalante. | ||
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| Other character inspirations in the show include, from left, the late Charlie Whittingham, who is the basis for the Nick Nolte character Walter Smith; former trainer Jenine Sahadi, the Jill Hennessy character Jo; and jockey Pat Valenzuela, the Gary Stevens character Ronnie Jenkins. | ||
[MORE: New drama reveals racing as Milch sees it | Andrew Beyer on "Luck"]