Is Ernie Johnson half-black? The running joke on Inside the NBA around TNT analyst’s ethnicity has made some fans take this question quite seriously. And Ernie plays along really well with the notion. Furthermore, the fact that a YouTube video—Ernie Johnson Being Black Compilation—has over 2 million views shows how much fans enjoy this side of Inside the NBA’s humor. All of this, however, might just have posed a new challenge for Dune star Timothée Chalamet.

During his recent appearance on SiriusXM, Chalamet faced the question of who he’d want to play if given the option of another biopic. “If I could do another biopic, who would it be… What about the Ernie Johnson biopic, the host of Inside the NBA…” he replied.

The update regarding the Dune star’s desire was shared by the official Instagram account of the Bleacher Report. And the IG users could not help but bring on Inside the NBA’s running joke to the comments. “A white guy to play a black guy? nah,” read one such comment. One IG user, meanwhile, brought in legendary Robert Downey Jr. in the mix, hilariously posing an even more challenging task for Timothee.

“@lucapm7_ real ASF that dude can’t pull it off, last white boy to play a black guy right was Robert Downey Jr,” read the comment. The comment, though an exaggeration of Inside the NBA’s running joke, could not have been more accurate about the RDJ part. Moreover, fans still love his portrayal of an African-American character in Tropic Thunder to this day. And while Chalamet might have potential, it could take him a lifetime’s span to be what RDJ is on the screen.

 

Aside from the jokes, however, many in the comment section of BR’s IG post showed love to the Dune star for his knowledge of the game. The fact he not just follows the ball, but the broadcasting shows around it is a testament to it. And we don’t say this just because of his recently expressed desire to play Ernie Johnson.

Timothée Chalamet draws his fashion inspiration from this Inside the NBA legend

Inside the NBA host Ernie Johnson cemented his legacy as one of the finest broadcasters of his generation. No wonder the Dune star expressed his desire to play Johnson in a biopic. Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, from the show, carry their Hall of Fame status like a badge of honor. But where does Kenny The Jet Smith fit in?

With a playing career that saw him cross the 17-point-per-game mark just twice in a decade, his NBA resume might not shine as brightly as his two co-hosts. Yet, Smith has found a way to stand out—and not just on the basketball court. Surprisingly, it was Smith’s fashion sense that stole the spotlight for him. And the confession came from none other than Timothée Chalamet, who hailed Smith as a style icon earlier this year.

This came from the Dune star during one of his interviews with Elle. Chalamet highlighted Smith has a varied style, but he’s also very bold and confident when he just wants to rock sneakers with a suit. “And I admire that.” It’s clear the 28-year-old follows the show up close. So it might not just be as bad an idea for him to play Ernie Johnson as fans hilariously made it the IG post of Bleacher Report.