Jason Clarke

It might seem a stretch to think that actor Jason Clarke, the son of a sheep-shearer in the Australian outback, could play the iconic legend Jerry West, but Clarke got a round of applause from an acclaimed writer central to the project. Jeff Pearlman, author of "Showtime," on which the HBO series "Winning Time" is based, told Lesley that "Jason Clarke is the best-cast role" in the production. Clarke worked up to 16 hours a day to capture the complicated champion - everything from his Appalachian accent to dribbling left-handed. And all without the cooperation of West himself. Clarke reached out with deep respect, but West preferred his privacy. West once told Lesley that "Hollywood eats people" and that "most great athletes are loners."

NOTE: This interview was recorded before the airing of "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" on HBO.