(by Steve Hopkins)
When Marty Supreme (2025) was released in December, it quickly turned heads. Timothee Chalamet’s portrayal of Marty Mauser, a table tennis star loosely based on American great Marty Reisman, has helped bring this movie into the conversation for numerous accolades and awards. The movie has nine Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor (aforementioned Timothee Chalamet). The other award nods are for Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, and Costumes. In addition to the Oscars, the movie has also been recognized with Gold Globe nominations, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Critics Choice Awards.
Table Tennis fans are invested more than most in this success. We’ve seen over the years that when our sport is featured in a movie or show (Forest Gump, Balls of Fury, Friends, The Office, Big Bang Theory, etc), our clubs often see a boost in interest. With the MLTT professional league taking off in the US, and increased number of events planned as we gear up for the 2028 Olympics, perhaps Marty Supreme will have more of an effect than the other events.
Fans with a keen eye may notice US Olympian Nikhil Kumar and former World No. 1 Timo Boll who each made cameo appearances in the movie (see the photo above). Much of the table tennis community came together to support the movie, with scenes shot in New York and London featuring real players in the background to help boost the realism and help make the movie something special.
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