Yanks' Teixeira doesn't mind being accused of acting
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Mark Teixeira doesn't mind if someone accuses him of acting.
For the second time in five years, the New York Yankees first baseman made a cameo appearance on a cable television show. Teixeira played himself on an episode of Showtime's "Billions" that first aired March 13.
"We had to do 16 takes," he said. "We did four from each angle, so it took a long time."
In the drama pitting a federal prosecutor portrayed by Paul Giamatti against a hedge fund owner acted by Damian Lewis, Teixeira is attending the Big Apple Circus with Lewis' character, Bobby Axelrod. Giamatti's character, Chuck Rhoades, walks in with his family, and Teixeira signs an autograph for Rhodes' young son, Kevin. Teixeira then touts to Axelrod a real-life, health-food company the ballplayer is a part-owner of.
"Juice Press. Our evaluation is already up 10x," Teixeira said. "The bankers are all over us about an IPO. This thing's going to be huge."
Teixeira credited his appearance to David Levien, one of the show's executive producers, who lives near him in the Greenwich, Connecticut, area.
"I've known Mark socially for a few years. Our kids go to the same school and we're on the board of a film festival together," Levien said. "I knew he was an avid viewer of movies and television and at some point last summer, after he was out for the season with the broken leg, I ran into him and asked if he wanted to be in 'Billions.' He's a big fan of Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis, and the scene we had in mind was one of the rare ones they'd be in together."
The scene was recorded on Oct. 14 at Weylin B. Seymour's in Brooklyn, New York, a landmarked building opened in 1875 by the Williamsburgh Savings Bank.
"I think he was a little stir crazy from the injury," Levien said. "He's a natural on screen. He crushed it like a hanging curveball."
Teixeira also was in an episode of HBO's "Entourage" that aired in September 2011, appearing during a Yankees batting practice along with Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod wasn't asked to participate in this shot.
"See this mug," Rodriguez said, pointing to his face. "That's why."