Emma Stone has racked up a slew of prestigious Hollywood awards (one Oscar, two Golden Globes and three SAG Awards, among them), but the accolade that eludes her is the one she covets most: “Jeopardy!” contestant.
“That's my favorite show. That’s my dream,” she said on the most recent episode of the “Awards Circuit” podcast.
To become a “Jeopardy!” contestant, Stone explained, you have to take a test and it can only be taken once a year, so she reapplies every June, so far without success.
“They don't tell you how it went. They just say, 'We'll let you know in the next nine to 12 months if you appear on the show,' and guess what, I haven't appeared on the show.”
When Schneider responded that the “Poor Things” star could surely secure a spot on “Celebrity Jeopardy!”, he was quick to clarify that he meant “the real 'Jeopardy'!”
“I really want to earn my stripes,” he said.
Stone wouldn't be the show's first high-profile competitor. In 2018, Jackie Fuchs, who played bass in the rock band The Runaways, won four games and took home more than $87,000. Paris Themmen, who played Mike Teevee in the original “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” film, competed in 2018, but host Alex Trebek introduced him simply as an entrepreneur and “avid backpacker.”
Although the casting department hasn't cast her yet, Stone is ready for the day when that happens. Every night, she watches the long-running game show, which is in its 40th season, and records how many answers she gets right.
On the podcast, the host jokingly characterized Stone's efforts as “very Rosie Perez.” [in] 'White men don't know how to jump.'”
In that 1992 sports comedy, Billy Hoyle (played by Woody Harrelson), a former college basketball player, makes a living by scamming street players. But in the film's gem of a subplot, Billy's girlfriend, Gloria Clemente (Perez), dreams of competing on “Jeopardy!” and she is always questioning herself about random factors while she prepares.
When she finally arrives at the program, the categories happen to line up with the exact material Gloria has been studying: Old Testament figures, natural disasters, foods that begin with the letter “Q.”
For now, Stone is still waiting for her “Gloria Clemente” moment.
Meanwhile, his accolades continue to pile up. On Jan. 23, Stone could be the second woman to be nominated for an Oscar for producing and acting in the same year, following Frances McDormand, who won in both categories for 2020's “Nomadland.”
