Apex Mountain

Career peak debate for actors/directors.

Apex Mountain has run in 417 episodes. The most recent 40 are listed below — open any episode at its timestamp to hear the segment.

⌕

‘Apollo 13’Bill Simmons

Tom Hanks: could take the Kevin Bacon 'seven jack' title; apex mountain is a broad peak somewhere between winning the Oscar for Forrest Gump and filming Apollo 13/voicing Toy Story. Also gives picks for Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, for the acclaim), Sinise (building toward Forrest Gump/CSI), Kevin Bacon (probably Footloose era in the 80s), and Ed Harris (somewhere between this movie and The Truman Show).

‘Apollo 13’Rob Mahoney

Counterpoints Bill on Hanks, suggesting apex mountain might be when he had enough clout to do The Lady Killers or direct/star in That Thing You Do, post-Saving Private Ryan.

‘Speed’Bill Simmons

For Sandra Bullock, Speed is apex mountain; also floats 1994 as apex mountain year for Keanu Reeves (leading into Dumb and Dumber)

‘Speed’Sean Fennessey

Suggests Jeff Daniels' Newsroom could be argued as his apex mountain (won an Emmy, big HBO show), even if the show wasn't great

‘The Karate Kid Part II’Bill Simmons

For Ralph Macchio: yes, Karate Kid is his apex (bigger than My Cousin Vinny), says his 'punchable face hero guy' or 'gregarious italian guy' were his only real modes as an actor. Also names Karate Kid I's Best Supporting Actor nomination (Pat Morita) as apex mountain, Hawaii pretending to be Okinawa as apex mountain for that gimmick, and says Karate Kid is the apex/most famous credit for basically everyone else in the cast.

‘The Karate Kid Part II’Kyle Brandt

Agrees Karate Kid is Macchio's apex; argues he couldn't have pivoted to a John Cusack-style leading man career after part one because he's 'a cute kid' good in the park, not viewed as an incredibly gifted actor, but perfect for Daniel-san.

‘Hitch’Bill Simmons

Debates multiple actors: says no to Will Smith as apex here; agrees Eva Mendes is near her apex; says yes for Kevin James (this movie sets up his later career like Mall Cop); says no for Ellis Island/history being apex; calls it a great early post-9/11 'New York is back' movie; notes Cruise is basically doing a Will Smith/Frank TJ Mackey type role

‘Hitch’Craig Horlbeck

Discusses the hair waxing/40-Year-Old Virgin comparison timing, and debates whether Tom Hanks could have played Albert Brennaman (says he's too handsome)

‘Hitch’Mina Kimes

For the actress in question (implied Rosario Dawson or similar), says late 90s Men in Black era was her peak, calls this movie 'the biggest movie she's ever been in' and a good performance/win for her

‘Hitch’Van Lathan

Questions whether Mall Cop was a big hit, then agrees this movie sets up Mall Cop; picks Spider-Man as the closest comparable 'New York is back' post-9/11 movie

‘She’Bill Simmons

Goes through cast list: Ed Burns yes, Amanda Peet no, Mike McGlone yes, Cameron Diaz no, John Mahoney no (though this is his Frasier/Primal Fear era)

‘She’Sean Fennessey

Agrees Mahoney's peak already happened by 1996 (citing Frasier and Primal Fear era)

Episode	Host	Answer
‘Apollo 13’	Bill Simmons	Tom Hanks: could take the Kevin Bacon 'seven jack' title; apex mountain is a broad peak somewhere between winning the Oscar for Forrest Gump and filming Apollo 13/voicing Toy Story. Also gives picks for Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, for the acclaim), Sinise (building toward Forrest Gump/CSI), Kevin Bacon (probably Footloose era in the 80s), and Ed Harris (somewhere between this movie and The Truman Show).
‘Apollo 13’	Rob Mahoney	Counterpoints Bill on Hanks, suggesting apex mountain might be when he had enough clout to do The Lady Killers or direct/star in That Thing You Do, post-Saving Private Ryan.
‘Speed’	Bill Simmons	For Sandra Bullock, Speed is apex mountain; also floats 1994 as apex mountain year for Keanu Reeves (leading into Dumb and Dumber)
‘Speed’	Sean Fennessey	Suggests Jeff Daniels' Newsroom could be argued as his apex mountain (won an Emmy, big HBO show), even if the show wasn't great
‘The Karate Kid Part II’	Bill Simmons	For Ralph Macchio: yes, Karate Kid is his apex (bigger than My Cousin Vinny), says his 'punchable face hero guy' or 'gregarious italian guy' were his only real modes as an actor. Also names Karate Kid I's Best Supporting Actor nomination (Pat Morita) as apex mountain, Hawaii pretending to be Okinawa as apex mountain for that gimmick, and says Karate Kid is the apex/most famous credit for basically everyone else in the cast.
‘The Karate Kid Part II’	Kyle Brandt	Agrees Karate Kid is Macchio's apex; argues he couldn't have pivoted to a John Cusack-style leading man career after part one because he's 'a cute kid' good in the park, not viewed as an incredibly gifted actor, but perfect for Daniel-san.
‘Hitch’	Bill Simmons	Debates multiple actors: says no to Will Smith as apex here; agrees Eva Mendes is near her apex; says yes for Kevin James (this movie sets up his later career like Mall Cop); says no for Ellis Island/history being apex; calls it a great early post-9/11 'New York is back' movie; notes Cruise is basically doing a Will Smith/Frank TJ Mackey type role
‘Hitch’	Craig Horlbeck	Discusses the hair waxing/40-Year-Old Virgin comparison timing, and debates whether Tom Hanks could have played Albert Brennaman (says he's too handsome)
‘Hitch’	Mina Kimes	For the actress in question (implied Rosario Dawson or similar), says late 90s Men in Black era was her peak, calls this movie 'the biggest movie she's ever been in' and a good performance/win for her
‘Hitch’	Van Lathan	Questions whether Mall Cop was a big hit, then agrees this movie sets up Mall Cop; picks Spider-Man as the closest comparable 'New York is back' post-9/11 movie
‘She’	Bill Simmons	Goes through cast list: Ed Burns yes, Amanda Peet no, Mike McGlone yes, Cameron Diaz no, John Mahoney no (though this is his Frasier/Primal Fear era)
‘She’	Sean Fennessey	Agrees Mahoney's peak already happened by 1996 (citing Frasier and Primal Fear era)