We met Paul DePodesta back in 2007, shortly after joining the Padres and performing various tasks that, despite our three part interview with him, we never really understood. I re-read those interviews and I realize we never really asked him much about Moneyball, but nevertheless, those interviews portray a confident man. A man, despite being in an amorphous role, was exactly the opposite of amorphous.
What's the opposite of amorphous? Shapely.
So when Jonah Hill was cast to play the Paul DePodesta part in Moneyball the Movie, we thought, Jonah Hill typically plays the smart ass young dude and he's shapely, so that should work for Paul DePodesta.
But it was not to be.
Paul DePodesta is presented in both versions of Moneyball as a baseball dork, stuck to his laptop and somewhat quiet. Relatively meek. And he did not want to be immortalized as that.
Which, in the end was probably the right call, as Jonah Hill has now earned himself an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a baseball dork, stuck to his laptop and somewhat quiet. Relatively meek.
So if Paul DePodesta wanted to distance himself from that particular rendition of his personality, then it's best that he's distanced himself from the rendition that is being universally recognized as one of the year's best renditions by a supporting actor in a feature film.
Dodged that bullet, Paul DePodesta, but make no mistake! The world will know of you! We will continue to link to this interview from 2007 until the world knows of you!