Adam Dunn has yet to reach the postseason in his 13-year career, but he has an invite to go where very few major leaguers have ever gone – the Oscars.
The White Sox slugger helped to create the Oscar-nominated “Dallas Buyers Club” as an investor in the production company Truth Entertainment, and even has a small non-speaking role in the film as a bartender.
He says he will take the opportunity to be in Los Angeles on Sunday for the biggest night in film only if the team is cool with it.
“Realistically, how many times do you get to do something like this?” Dunn said, according to CSN Chicago. “I got to do some pretty cool stuff in my life, but this would be one of them. I don’t even think it’s a big deal. If it’s remotely an issue at all then it’s not worth it to me.”
On Monday, Dunn said manager Robin Ventura spoke to him about the potential trip, but he hasn’t decided if he will go or not. It likely would equate to just a one-day absence a full month before the regular season begins.
“I’m not worried about precedence either because the next time somebody has something to do with the Oscars, we’ll deal with it,” Ventura said. “It’s a cool thing and he should be able to go and enjoy it.”
“Dallas Buyers Club” is nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture and acting nominations for Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. McConaughey stars as AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, who smuggled unapproved pharmaceutical drugs into Texas when he found them effective at improving his symptoms.
Dunn, a Texas native, got involved with film production through his friend Joe Newcomb, the founder of Truth Entertainment. The burly slugger, whose credits include 440 career home runs, joked he was snubbed in not receiving an Oscar nom himself.
“It seems like that always happens,” Dunn told the Chicago Tribune. “The Gold Glove, every year I get snubbed on that, so I’m used to it.”