From director Bobby Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary), Champions is a heartwarming movie about beating the odds and betting on the underdogs, based on the 2018 Spanish film Campeones and inspired by a true story. The sports comedy stars Woody Harrelson, most notably known for his roles in the Zombieland movies, True Detective, and Natural Born Killers, and Kaitlin Olson, best known for her long-running character “Sweet Dee” in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The two comedians give each other a run for their money as co-stars and love interests, and according to Olson in their interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, they’re “perfect scene partners.”
In Champions, after falling from grace, former minor-league basketball coach Marcus Marakovich (Harrelson) lands himself into even more hot water after causing a fender-bender. In court, Marcus is given community service that aligns with his expertise; the judge offers Marcus the opportunity to coach a team of adults with intellectual disabilites. Though he’s reluctant, Marcus develops a bond with his new team, and even strikes up a romance with one of the player’s sisters Alex (Olson). With perseverance and dedication, Marcus and his team of nonprofessional players, aka the Friends, work hard to get to the Special Olympics finals. The cast features a crew of brand-new faces that play the talented Friends, as well as Cheech Marin (Up in Smoke) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters).
During their interview ahead of Champions’ theatrical release on March 10, Harrelson and Olson discussed why they have such strong onscreen chemistry, what it was like behind the scenes while filming in Winnipeg, and Harrelson admits that working with Olson was “daunting.” Harrelson also talked about joining Saturday Night Live’s Five-Timers Club with other greats like Olson’s Always Sunny co-star, Danny DeVito, and SNL alums Steve Martin, and Tina Fey.
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