<P> Young investors Charlie Geller ( John Magaro ) and Jamie Shipley ( Finn Wittrock ) accidentally discover a prospectus by Vennett , convincing them to become involved in the swaps , as it fits their strategy of buying cheap insurance with big potential payouts . Since they are below the capital threshold for an ISDA Master Agreement required to enter into trades like Burry 's and Baum 's , they enlist the aid of retired securities trader Ben Rickert ( Brad Pitt ) . When the bond values and CDOs rise despite defaults , Geller suspects the banks of committing fraud . The three also visit the American Securitization Forum , where they learn that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has no regulations to monitor mortgage - backed security activity . They manage to successfully make an even more profitable payout deal than other hedge funds by shorting the higher - rated mortgage securities . These securities were considered highly stable and the banks were willing to sell swaps on them extremely cheaply . Geller and Shipley are initially ecstatic , but Rickert is disgusted , pointing out an impending economic collapse and the human effect that 's going to come from it , in particular , the fact that when unemployment goes up 1 % , 40,000 more people will die . Furthermore , they realize that the banks have colluded with the ratings agency to maintain the value of their CDO 's in order to sell their worthless positions and then short them before the inevitable crash . Horrified , they try to tip off the press and their families about the upcoming disaster and the rampant fraud but nobody believes them . As the housing market begins to collapse , Ben , while on vacation in England , is able to sell their swaps , and points out that Europe is starting to feel the effects of the collapse . Ultimately , they make a profit of $80 million , but their faith in the system is broken . </P>
<P> Young investors Charlie Geller ( John Magaro ) and Jamie Shipley ( Finn Wittrock ) accidentally discover a prospectus by Vennett , convincing them to become involved in the swaps , as it fits their strategy of buying cheap insurance with big potential payouts . Since they are below the capital threshold for an ISDA Master Agreement required to enter into trades like Burry 's and Baum 's , they enlist the aid of retired securities trader Ben Rickert ( Brad Pitt ) . When the bond values and CDOs rise despite defaults , Geller suspects the banks of committing fraud . The three also visit the American Securitization Forum , where they learn that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has no regulations to monitor mortgage - backed security activity . They manage to successfully make an even more profitable payout deal than other hedge funds by shorting the higher - rated mortgage securities . These securities were considered highly stable and the banks were willing to sell swaps on them extremely cheaply . Geller and Shipley are initially ecstatic , but Rickert is disgusted , pointing out an impending economic collapse and the human effect that 's going to come from it , in particular , the fact that when unemployment goes up 1 % , 40,000 more people will die . Furthermore , they realize that the banks have colluded with the ratings agency to maintain the value of their CDO 's in order to sell their worthless positions and then short them before the inevitable crash . Horrified , they try to tip off the press and their families about the upcoming disaster and the rampant fraud but nobody believes them . As the housing market begins to collapse , Ben , while on vacation in England , is able to sell their swaps , and points out that Europe is starting to feel the effects of the collapse . Ultimately , they make a profit of $80 million , but their faith in the system is broken . </P>
who played jamie shipley in the big short
who played jamie shipley in the big short
Finn Wittrock
Finn Wittrock