Battle of the Sexes

Director: Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton (2017)

Cast: Emma Stone, Steve Carrell

Battle of The Sexes is a true story, that was meticulously scripted and acted by Emma Stone (as Billie Jean King) and Steve Carrell (as Bobby Riggs) detailing the infamous mid-1970’s network tennis match between a current woman tennis star and a former men’s champ. Steve Carrell does an admirable job of NOT doing a complete caricature of the often humorous Bobby Riggs, who was a mater hustler and self-promoter.

Billy Jean King is still active in sports as a tennis ambassador and part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. King comes from a sports-oriented family. Her brother Randy Moffit was a major league pitcher and King would become a force for women in sports and society.

This is a must-see movie for all sports fans and Emma Stone is superb as Billie Jean King.

Fun Fact: King was married to her manager Roger King and ended up divorcing him later after the tennis match and came out as a lesbian. She has been a force for both LGBTQ and women’s rights for decades.