Roddick Makes Acting Debut in Pickleball Comedy 'The Dink'

Former tennis world No. 1 Andy Roddick has made his acting debut in the pickleball sports comedy "The Dink," available to stream on Apple TV.

Roddick plays a version of himself in the film, which stars Jake Johnson as a former tennis professional who joins a pickleball club to gain his father's respect.

Producer Ben Stiller developed the idea to cast Roddick. Johnson and Roddick had previously appeared on each other's podcasts before the film's production.

Johnson initially doubted whether to cast an athlete in the role, nearly choosing a comedic actor to play an athlete instead. He called the decision to cast Roddick "a gamble."

At "The Dink" premiere on Monday, Johnson praised Roddick's performance. "He's always funny, but he's on another level in this movie," Johnson said.

Roddick was initially self-deprecating about his acting abilities. Johnson recalled Roddick saying, "I promise you I'm not the guy," regarding his suitability for the role. Johnson countered by telling him, "You're the guy. You're the guy." He noted that Roddick's experience competing at an elite level prepared him to handle the pressure of delivering lines.

Johnson described Roddick as open, funny, and collaborative during production, crediting his athletic background for his ability to perform under pressure.

Director Josh Greenbaum also praised Roddick's work. After a Zoom meeting with Roddick, Greenbaum said, "I think this guy can pull the role off." He underscored the challenge of acting even when playing oneself. "Any actor will tell you even if you're playing a version of yourself, you still gotta act and he did an amazing job," Greenbaum said.

The ensemble cast includes Ed Harris, Chloe Fineman, Mary Steenburgen, Aaron Chen, and Clio King.