Jessica McNamee Plays Margaret Court In ‘Battle Of The Sexes’

EXCLUSIVE: Fox Searchlight is mounting its Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs tennis match pic Battle of the Sexes, and they have found their Margaret Court. Playing the statuesque Australian tennis star will be Jessica McNamee, an up and coming Aussie actress who is one of the leads in Warner Bros CHiPs film, and starred on the Denis Leary USA sitcom Sirens. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are directing the film based on a Simon Beaufoy script, and Emma Stone is playing King and Steve Carell is playing Riggs, and Sarah Silverman, Andrea Riseborough and Elisabeth Shue also star.  The 1973 tennis match between the top female player and the 55-year old retired Wimbledon champ scored the highest TV ratings since the Moon landing. Court was challenging King for the top female ranking at the time and she agreed to play Riggs, after King first said no. Riggs beat won both sets in their best of three set match, which came to be known as the “Mother’s Day Massacre.” That prompted King to step up to play Riggs in the historical televised match. McNamee is repped by UTA and Inspire Entertainment.