Poker is a huge part of modern pop culture. Thanks to breakout stars like Chris Moneymaker, it’s proven that it can change anyone’s life, which is why the World Series of Poker (WSOP)—the most prestigious tournament for the card game—repeatedly break records for drawing in more participants every year. In 2024, its main event alone attracted over 10,112 participants, more than 2023’s 10,043.
Poker’s influence extends to popular media. Aside from movies and TV, it’s constantly been featured in comic books. The Thing, for example, has been playing poker with members of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and the X-Men—beginning with comics dating as far back as the 1970s. They’re always interrupted by villains before someone can win, resulting in what CBR’s dubbed “The Thing’s Floating Superhero Poker Game.”
Of course, the same goes for comic book-inspired films and shows, and this is one aspect where Marvel’s franchises again stand out. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, for instance, features a poker scene involving Kraglin, the Soviet space dog Cosmo—and Howard the Duck.
Even the actors who play Marvel’s heroes and villains have been seen frequenting poker tournaments themselves! Here are a few notable mentions:
Matt Damon
Believe it or not, Matt Damon has some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU’s) funniest and quirkiest cameos—playing not just one but two characters across a couple of movie series. He appeared in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, playing an actor who, in turn, played Loki as part of an Asgardian cast reenacting events from the previous Thor films. He also played an unrecognizable redneck in Deadpool 2. These cameos make Damon one of the remaining Hollywood A-listers who haven’t yet headlined superhero films, only appeared in them. What he is known for, however, is his leading role in the poker movie Rounders—which he prepared for by joining the actual WSOP in 1998.
These experiences seemed to have sparked a long-term love for the card game, as Damon has been spotted participating in a number of poker tournaments since Rounders’ release. Most recently, he signed up for one organized by Americas Cardroom. Also known as ACR Poker, it’s one of the biggest, oldest, and most trusted online poker sites known for offering both online and live events like The Venom Vault and The Cage Live. However, it’s also renowned for charitable initiatives, including the All in for America celebrity tournament attended by the likes of Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler—and, of course, Matt Damon. All proceeds helped Feeding America stock food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tobey Maguire
Maguire is arguably most famous for portraying Spider-Man in the early 2000s, recently returning with Andrew Garfield to reprise the role in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. His appearances in Sam Raimi’s noughties trilogy helped the soft-spoken star rise in terms of both fame and net worth, with Maguire even taking home 7.5% of Spider-Man 3’s box office gross on top of a $15 million paycheck. When he’s not on the silver screen, however, he’s an avid poker player. Maguire started participating in tournament poker in 2004—and he clearly loved the thrill of it. He ended up joining the WSOP in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
In his off-time, he’d also play more private, high-stakes poker games with other A-listers, like Ben Affleck and Leonardo DiCaprio—and he became so well-known for doing so that he was personified in the 2017 film Molly’s Game through the character Player X. With the movie based on a true story, many viewers speculated that he was based on Maguire. Yet though Molly’s Game director Aaron Sorkin described the character as being inspired by multiple real-life celebrities, Michael Cera—who played Player X—confirmed in a Rolling Stone interview that his role was solely inspired by Maguire. “I never talked to Tobey about it,” he added. “I hope he doesn’t hold it against me that I played him because it was a great part.”
Jeremy Renner
Jeremy Renner is, without a doubt, one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars. He’s done it all, from S.W.A.T. and Mission: Impossible to The Bourne Legacy. That’s why it’s no surprise that he was tapped to play skilled marksman Hawkeye in the Avengers movies, as well as in his own MCU mini-series. Like Damon, he also uses his platform as a celebrity to bolster his charitable efforts. In his case, though, he doesn’t play poker tournaments—he hosts them through his very own non-profit, the RennerVation Foundation.
Its first charity event, which was held at the Las Vegas Strip in October 2024, featured bowling events, a star-studded concert headlined by acts including Electric Avenue, and celebrity golfing tournaments attended by the likes of none other than Michael Chiklis, who played The Thing in 2005’s live-action Fantastic Four. Of course, the RennerVation Foundation’s string of events also included a poker tournament personally hosted by Renner himself. The tournament, which was held at The Venetian’s new poker room, was similarly attended by celebrities like Inside Out’s Richard Kind and poker pros Connor Woodland and Joey Ingram.
Paul Rudd
We’ve previously lauded Ant-Man and The Wasp as a welcome addition to MCU’s film roster, and not just because of all the funny quips made by Luis. The casting of Paul Rudd as Ant-Man proved to be a perfect choice, with the actor seamlessly pulling off the vibe of the “every man” thrust into extraordinary circumstances—something that makes his character, Scott Lang, even more relatable and interesting to watch. His entry into the MCU further bolstered his filmography, making him one of the biggest stars to hail from Kansas City.
He’s not the only one: the city also prides itself on being the hometown of other major household names, including Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet and SNL alum Jason Sudeikis. Like Renner and Damon, Rudd is big on paying it forward—which is why, every year, you’ll see him joining Stonestreet, Sudeikis, and more participating in Big Slick Celebrity Weekend. Rudd, Sudeikis, and comedian Rob Riggle started Big Slick in 2010 as a poker tournament they and other local celebrities could participate in to raise money for local Kansas City institutions. Over 15 years later, Rudd continues to join Big Slick—playing no longer just poker, but a host of other sports like softball.
Read more on your favorite comics—and comics-inspired media—right here on First Comics News.
About Author
