Most athletes who try to act are, frankly, painful to watch. You know the vibe—stiff delivery, staring at the camera like it’s a shot clock, and that awkward "I'm just happy to be here" energy. But then there’s Rick Fox. If you grew up watching the Lakers during the Shaq and Kobe era, you knew him as the dependable forward with three rings. If you grew up watching HBO or the CW, you knew him as a legitimate actor. Honestly, the list of Rick Fox movies and tv shows is surprisingly long, and it's not just a collection of athlete-playing-himself cameos.
He actually put in the work.
Fox didn’t just show up to movie sets because he was famous; he showed up because he wanted to be good. He once joked about how Penny Marshall and Jack Nicholson were always courtside at his games, and he wanted to jump into their conversations about craft. By the time he retired from the NBA in 2004, he already had a recurring role on one of the grittiest dramas in television history. That doesn't happen by accident.
The HBO Era and the Breakout as Jackson Vahue
Most people forget that Fox started acting while he was still winning championships. His most significant early role was in the HBO prison drama Oz. Playing Jackson Vahue, a superstar basketball player serving time, wasn't exactly a stretch in terms of the "athlete" part, but the performance was heavy. He appeared in 11 episodes between 1997 and 2003.
It was a bold move. Oz was notoriously violent and dark. It wasn't the kind of show where you went to look "cool" or "marketable." It was where you went to prove you could handle complex, often unlikable characters. Vahue was arrogant and complicated, and Fox played him with a nuanced edge that made people in Hollywood realize he was serious.
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While he was doing that, he was also popping up in Spike Lee joints. In He Got Game (1998), he played Chick Deagan. Again, it was a basketball-adjacent role, but working with Spike Lee is a rite of passage for any actor. He followed that up with Holes in 2003, playing the legendary baseball player Clyde "Sweetfeet" Livingston. Even if you didn't know his NBA stats, if you were a kid in the early 2000s, you knew him as the guy whose stolen shoes started the whole plot.
The King of the Recurring Guest Spot
Once the jersey was officially hung up, the floodgates opened. Rick Fox became the go-to guy for a very specific type of role: the charming, slightly intimidating love interest or the "refined" professional. You've probably seen him in:
- One Tree Hill: He played Daunte Jones, a high-stakes bookie who brought a lot of tension to the basketball-heavy storyline.
- The Big Bang Theory: He had a hilarious turn as Glenn, Bernadette’s former professor and ex-boyfriend, who made Howard feel incredibly insecure just by existing.
- Ugly Betty: He played Dwayne, the bodyguard for Wilhelmina Slater (played by his real-life ex-wife, Vanessa Williams).
- Shameless: He showed up as Gareth, a character that leaned into the show's chaotic energy.
- Greenleaf: A more recent turn where he played Darius Nash, a journalist. This was a long-term, 26-episode arc that showed his range in a faith-based drama setting.
What’s interesting is how he handled the "Vanessa Williams" era of his career. Despite their divorce, the two remained professional and even worked together on screen multiple times. It’s that kind of maturity that probably kept him booked. Producers knew he was a pro. No ego, no drama—just a 6'7" guy who knew his lines.
From Leading Man to Hallmark Mainstay
Lately, the Rick Fox movies and tv shows filmography has taken a turn toward the "cozy mystery" and holiday genres. It’s a smart pivot. He’s become a staple of the Morning Show Mysteries franchise on Hallmark, playing Ian Jackson opposite Holly Robinson Peete.
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There is a massive audience for these films. They aren't trying to be The Godfather, and Fox knows that. He brings a relaxed, steady presence to these roles. It’s a far cry from the "Jackson Vahue" days in a maximum-security prison, but it shows his longevity. He also appeared in the 2023 film Some Other Woman and the 2025 Spike Lee project Highest 2 Lowest, proving he still has that "prestige" connection.
A Quick Look at the Deep Cuts
If you really want to see the variety, you have to look at the voice work and the random indie stuff. He voiced characters in The Fairly OddParents (Flash Williams and Smooth Daley). He did Navy Seals vs. Zombies (2015), which is exactly what it sounds like. He was in Dope (2015), a cult favorite indie film that was a huge hit at Sundance. He even did a stint on Dancing with the Stars Season 11, where he finished 6th.
The guy just doesn't stop.
Why He’s Not Just "Another Athlete"
The reason Rick Fox has stayed relevant in the entertainment industry for over 30 years—longer than his actual basketball career—is simple: he respects the craft. He famously said that if someone walked onto the Lakers' court and expected to play just because they were famous, he’d be offended. He applied that same logic to acting. He didn't expect to be handed lead roles; he was okay with being 4th or 5th on the call sheet for years.
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He also diversified. He wasn't just chasing the next Marvel movie. He produced, he invested in esports (the whole Echo Fox saga is a story for another day), and he focused on consistent TV work.
Basically, if you look at the trajectory of Rick Fox movies and tv shows, you see a man who understood that Hollywood is a marathon, not a sprint. He used his NBA fame to get in the door, but he used his work ethic to stay in the room.
If you're looking to catch up on his best work, start with Oz for the grit, Holes for the nostalgia, and Greenleaf if you want to see him really settle into a dramatic role. He’s currently involved in sustainable building tech with his company Partanna, but don't be surprised if he pops up in another recurring role soon. The man has a way of staying on our screens.
For those interested in watching his progression, the most effective way is to watch his transition from "Athlete Playing a Version of Himself" (like in The Game or Arli$$) to "Character Actor" (like in All Rise or Criminal Minds: Evolution). It's a rare career path that few have navigated as gracefully as he has.
Next Steps for the Rick Fox Completist:
- Check out Morning Show Mysteries on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries to see his chemistry with Holly Robinson Peete—it’s the cornerstone of his recent work.
- Stream Greenleaf on Netflix to see his most sustained dramatic performance outside of his early HBO years.
- Track his 2026 projects, as he continues to balance his environmental business ventures with select acting roles in the independent film circuit.