Press Pass LA was on Disney’s green carpet for the premiere of Million Dollar Arm starring Jon Hamm (Mad Men). The true story of a sports agent who travels to India and brings back two cricket players in the hopes of signing them to major league baseball.
Stars Jon Hamm, Lake Bell, Alan Arkin, Bill Paxton, Aasif Mandvi, Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal, and Pitobash were all in attendance! The premiere kicked off with a pitching contest where 9 Finalists competed for the chance to win a
million dollars and a contract with Legendary Sports Agent J.B. Bernstein. Unfortunately the winning pitcher, clocked a pitch at 94mph, just shy of the 100mph mark to claim the million dollars, but he did get the contract! All Finalists received a $500 gift package from Rawlings, a gift package from Under Armour and tickets to the ESPY Awards.
About the Film:
Based on a true story, sports agent JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) finds that business has changed and things aren’t going well for his career. In a last ditch effort to save his livelihood he concocts a scheme to find baseball’s next great pitching ace. Hoping to find a young cricket pitcher he can turn into a major league baseball star, JB travels to India to produce a reality show competition called “The Million Dollar Arm.” With the help of cantankerous but eagle-eyed retired baseball scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin), he discovers Dinesh (played by Madhur Mittal from Slumdog Millionaire) and Rinku (played by Suraj Sharma from Life of Pi), two 18-year-old boys who have no idea about playing baseball, yet have a knack for throwing a fastball. Hoping to sign them to major league contracts and make a quick buck, JB brings the boys home to America to train. While the Americans are definitely out of their element in India, the boys, who have never left their rural villages, are equally challenged when they come to the States. As the boys learn the finer points of baseball, JB, with the help of his charming friend Brenda (Lake Bell), learns valuable life lessons about teamwork, commitment and what it means to be a family.
In theaters May 10th, watch the trailer.