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Fans are enjoying revisiting Molly’s Game while others are watching it for the first time since it arrived on Netflix. This is one of those movies that gets you glued to the screen, and if this genre is what you enjoy then you should take a look at the best gambling movies and scenes.

With a cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, and Jeremy Strong, and an engaging plot, did you know it is based on true events? Molly Bloom is the inspiration for the Academy Award-nominated movie… Let’s take a look at her life story.

Molly Bloom: Who is She?

Aaron Sorkin‘s screenplay was inspired by Molly Bloom’s memoir Molly’s Game, which she wrote in 2014. The real Molly began her working life dreaming of becoming an Olympic skier. Training in the sport for several years ended with an injury when she tried to qualify.

Having lost the opportunity to compete in the Olympics due to a severe injury, Molly Bloom moved to Los Angeles, California in 2004. Her career began as a bartender at numerous nightclubs, but she ended up working permanently at The Viper Room. It was to Molly Bloom’s surprise that Tobey Maguire, a celebrity, approached Darin Feinstein, one of the owners of The Viper Room, and they discussed holding a poker game in the basement.

In a few days, the deals were completed and the games were up and running. As a waitress in LA at the time, Molly Bloom handled serving drinks and managing the game’s environment for the players. Gradually, she learned the Solitaire and poker business and hosting, and developed a network of poker players that tipped her. 

By 2007, Molly Bloom had become the accidental entrepreneur behind an underground poker game. As a result, she founded Molly Bloom Inc. Her poker tournaments in five-star hotels netted her thousands of dollars every night. Despite the recession of 2008, Molly Bloom was able to hold tournaments in luxury homes and resorts in New York, including the new Astor Place and Plaza Hotel. The business mogul went about her business as usual.

Aside from actor Tobey Maguire, who was one of the first celebrities to take part in poker tournaments, Molly Bloom also managed to attract many Hollywood celebrities to the high-stakes poker games at exclusive restaurants.

How Did Molly’s Game Come to Be?

Molly’s Game is about Molly’s rise within the poker industry until big money gets involved and things get complicated. In 2010, Molly Bloom was fined $116,133 for failing to pay taxes on her New York events. This was the beginning of Molly Bloom’s downfall. Things began to fall apart for Hollywood’s poker princess from that point on. She was fined in 2010 for not paying sufficient taxes. An investigation into Molly’s involvement in a money laundering and illegal sports gambling operation led to her arrest in 2013.

Molly Bloom pleaded guilty in 2014 after Jim Walden, her lawyer, advised her to do so, and was thus sentenced to one-year probation and fined $1000. During her 1 year probation period, she was also required to perform community service for 200 hours. After going bankrupt, Molly Bloom decided to pen a book about the lessons she had learned.

 Later, Molly’s Game was adapted into a movie. In the film adapted from Molly Bloom’s book, Molly’s Game, only renowned actors were able to portray Molly’s story in the way that she had envisioned. There are several main characters:

• Molly Bloom was portrayed by Jessica Chastain
• Charlie Jaffey, Molly’s lawyer, was played by Idris Elba
• Larry Bloom was portrayed by Kevin Costner
• Playing Player X was Michael Cera
• Dan Keith was portrayed by Jeremy Strong
• Douglas Downey was played by Chris O’Dowd
• Bad Brad was played by Brian D’Arcy

It’s one of those movies that’s so thrilling it’s impossible to believe it’s the story of someone’s life.