D.J. Alexander Sets the Scene During Oscar Night at Thunder Valley

By Matt Clark

D.J. Alexander (pictured) is in the midst of two sweats on Day 2 of WPT Rolling Thunder. The Texan is grinding a below average stack and his iPad sits queued up in front of him to watch tonight’s Oscars ceremony. Poker is a drama and Alexander has a love for Hollywood. That’s why he appreciates the twists and turns the game provides.

First in Line for the Premiere

Alexander’s lifelong love for film dates back to his childhood. Growing up in Houston, Alexander recalls the expansive VHS collection of his parents.

“I think my parents had a ton of movies,” Alexander recalled. “They were all VHS and they loved movies.”

The full landscape of what goes into analyzing a film appeals to Alexander. He claims The Godfather Part II to be his all-time favorite. The score, the acting, and the writing all key into why the classic ranks number one on his list.

The apple of Alexander’s cinephile eye today belongs to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The ongoing series of superhero blockbusters is a frequent subject discussion topic on Alexander’s social media pages.

“I’ve always been a big comic book fan,” he said. “Always loved Marvel and the MCU.”

See You for the Sequel

When Alexander travels to a poker destination, the first thing on his mind is when he will be able to fit a day in to go the theater. The smash-hit Black Panther owes part of its box office success to Alexander. Before traveling to Denver for a tournament stop prior to the film’s February 16 release date, Alexander bought a ticket to see it on opening night.

Alexander never made it to Colorado and instead carved out a day to go around the timeframe of an L.A. Poker Classic side event.

April 26 marks the date Avengers: Infinity War arrives on the big screen. Alexander plans to be in Montreal on that date and plans to watch the movie twice during the premiere date.

As soon as Alexander leaves a screening, Reddit is the first destination where he directs his brain.

“I have a group chat where I’m always discussing movies, but none of my friends watch the same way I do,” Alexander said. “I go on Reddit, looking at theories and what other people think about these movies.”

Call It a Trilogy

The idea of going into show business is on the mind of Alexander. The creative side of the industry interests him. Casting is what he specifically hones in on.

“I would only if I could create something or market,” Alexander told WPT.com. “I’m really good at picking actors and actresses that would go toward a certain character.”

Alexander struggled to think of other traveling professional players who share as much of an interest in movies as he does. The topic occasionally comes up at the table and Alexander is happy to participate as well as comment on relevant TV conversation.

The talk surrounding this year’s ceremony involves Get Out. The horror movie is Alexander’s choice to win Best Picture when he tunes in from the table.

Alexander’s iPad never leaves his side when he plays and that is the case tonight when a piece of Hollywood travels north to Thunder Valley.

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