Nathaniel Bellamy Jr.'s Hollywood career began with a non-union extra role in a car commercial in 1988, earning him a significant $40. He continued to build his experience by working as a stand-in for Kevin Peter Hall in Predator 2, starring Danny Glover, in 1990. This role not only secured Nate's first SAG contract but also provided him with the opportunity to work on his first Soul Train Music Awards show in the Talent Credentials Department, a role he would continue to hold for seven out of the 19 shows, culminating in the 2005 event.
In the summer of 1995, Nate embarked on a new project, Space Jam, as a technical advisor and basketball coordinator. This Warner Bros. Pictures release starred Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny, and Nate's contributions went beyond coordinating duties. He also handled casting and collaborated with the Warner Bros. Pictures payroll department, a far cry from his early days working for $40 a day.
Nate worked closely with the entire production team, including Director Joe Pytka, Producer Ivan Rietman, Directors of Animation Bruce Smith and Tony Cervone, and Special Effects expert Bob Jones Cinesite, on every aspect of the basketball scenes in the film. The film's success was immense, with a worldwide box office gross of $250 million, DVD and video sales exceeding $500 million, and licensing fees worth $250 million. The film's soundtrack, featuring the Grammy-winning hit 'I Believe I Can Fly' by R. Kelly, achieved platinum certification, selling over six million copies. To date, Space Jam has generated a staggering six billion dollars in total revenues.
Nate also had the opportunity to coordinate pick-up basketball games with All-Star NBA players at the legendary Jordan Dome after each day of shooting on Space Jam, as an assistant to Tim Grover (ATTACK Athletics),Michael Jordan's personal trainer.
