‘Goat' star Stephen Curry on his Hollywood plans: ‘I don't even want to limit myself'

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This year alone, Stephen Curry made his directorial debut with "The Baddest Speechwriter of All," a 29-minute profile of former Martin Luther King Jr. confidant Clarence B. Jones, and he is a hands-on producer and voice talent in "Goat," a Sony Pictures Animation release that opens in theaters on Friday, Feb. 13. (Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle)


Stephen Curry introduced his new film "Goat" at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland, but the audience had trouble seeing him until comedian W. Kamau Bell guided him from the shadows to the lighted portion of the stage.

"I don't like the spotlight," the Golden State Warriors superstar joked as the audience laughed.

Many have long assumed that once his all-time great NBA career is over, Curry would like to focus on an acting career. After all, he exudes charisma and starpower and has been on-camera in projects such as his ABC miniature golf reality series "Holey Moley" and the Peacock sitcom "Mr. Throwback."

"He's a natural born entertainer," said Bell, who co-hosted the screening of the animated film on Tuesday, Feb. 10. "He can't play the way he plays, with the joy he plays, with the fierceness he plays without knowing how to act."

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Tyree Dillihay, co-director of Sony Pictures Animation's "Goat," watches as Stephen Curry introduces the film at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle)


But what if the four-time NBA champion's biggest impact in movies and television is behind the scenes?

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"Goat" (PG) is in theaters Friday, Feb. 13.

Evidence suggests this is already happening. Through his production company, Unanimous Media, co-founded by his producing partner Erick Peyton, Curry is listed as producer or executive producer on 27 projects, according to IMDb.

This year alone, Curry made his directorial debut with "The Baddest Speechwriter of All," a 29-minute profile of former Martin Luther King Jr. confidant Clarence B. Jones. The short film, co-directed by Ben Proudfoot, won a grand jury prize at last month's Sundance Film Festival, an award Curry accepted by video chat.

And he is a hands-on producer and voice talent in "Goat," a Sony Pictures Animation release that opens in theaters on Friday, Feb. 13. He appeared at the Oakland premiere with his family - wife Ayesha, an actor in her own right who also has a role in "Goat," and children Riley, Ryan, Canon and Caius.

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Stephen Curry, back center, is joined by his family: daughter Riley Curry, left, wife Ayesha Curry, son Caius Curry, daughter Ryan Curry and son Canon Curry before a premiere of his animated film "Goat" at Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. (Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle)


"Basketball has opened a lot of doors," Curry told the Chronicle. "I don't even want to limit myself on what's possible down the road, but I've had a good experience so far in all of those different roles. It's all about the right project and the right team that you work with, and I think we've checked the box on that with every project that we've done. That's the strategy moving forward, whether that's behind the camera or in front of it."

"Goat," co-directed by Adam Rosette and Tyree Dillihay, is a case in point. The film, set in the animal world and centered around the very basketball-like sport of "roarball," has been in the works for seven years, dating to the founding of Unanimous Media.

Curry, who signed on early in the project, voices a giraffe named Lenny, a supporting role. Other voice talent includes David Harbour, Patton Oswalt, Jelly Roll, Jennifer Hudson, Pleasanton-raised Gabrielle Union and her husband, retired NBA champion Dwyane Wade, current Utah Jazz power forward Kevin Love, and WNBA stars Angel Reesea and A'ja Wilson.

"Despite how busy his schedule is, he's been very involved every step of the way, offering us feedback, insight into the gameplay, insight into how to develop the characters," producer Michelle Raimo Kouyate said of Curry. "He's a great producer."

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Archie (David Harbour), Olivia (Nicola Coughlan), Jett (Gabrielle Union, Lenny (Stephen Curry), Will (Caleb McLaughlin) and Modo (Nick Kroll) in "Goat." (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation)


The project appealed to Curry because it was a family project about an underdog, he said, and features a variety of different characters that children can relate to.

"It's got a lot of energy, a lot of comedy, a lot of action," he explained. "But the idea is to remind yourself to dream big, surround yourself with people who believe in you. I think we all - in some way, shape or form - can resonate with that. But once you see the movie, I think you'll resonate with a specific character that will speak to maybe your personality and your perspective."

Peter Nicks, an Oakland filmmaker who directed Curry in the 2023 Apple TV documentary "Stephen Curry: Underrated," thinks the Warrior "has a knack" for filmmaking, and that his work on "The Baddest Speechwriter of All" shows Curry has "cracked the code."

"He's got a commitment to do it right, and to create a sustained presence in that space requires focus - the same kind of focus and attention that I'm sure he puts toward basketball," Nicks said. "It's a process of absorbing, and he's a great absorber. That's what we learned from making his documentary. He was really open to learning and adapting. The interest and the passion about the subject matter, that's really what will sustain him."

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From left to right: Adam Rosette, co-director of "Goat"; Erick Peyton, producer, co-founder and CEO, Unanimous Media; Michelle Raimo Kouyate, producer; and Tyree Dillihay, co-director at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. (Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle)


Still, it's unlikely that Curry will completely abandon acting. "Mr. Throwback," which was all of six half-hour episodes, was canceled after one season. That's a little like the Warriors missing the playoffs - something that doesn't sit well with No. 30.

"He likes to live outside the box. He likes to be challenged," Peyton said. "So will we see him in front of the camera more? Probably."

For now, Curry told the Chronicle that developing his acting skill-set to become a true professional would require a commitment he could not give as long as he is playing basketball.

"Down the road, if making a project makes sense and it's something I'll work for, why not?" Curry said. "But we already have a full-time actor in the house with Ayesha, so she might be my coach."


This article originally published at ‘Goat' star Stephen Curry on his Hollywood plans: ‘I don't even want to limit myself'.

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