Wrestling has become famous for being live reality TV in a way. The stories, the action, and of course, the acting, have made it one of the most popular things to watch. Whether you write it off as fake or not, wrestling has been full of amazing and unique characters.
Some of these wrestlers have made the jump to acting as well. One has starred in one of the best superhero series, while others have possibly been a bit more forgettable. Either way, here are the top wrestlers that made the jump to Hollywood.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The Rock is probably the most famous wrestler turned actor. He spent years building a name for himself in the WWE and becoming a fan favorite producing some of the most incredible crowd reactions you will ever hear.
He has gone to star in some fantastic films such as Gridiron Gang, San Andreas, The Fast and Furious franchise, and multiple TV shows. No wrestler has had a more successful acting career, and he isn’t slowing down.
John Cena
John Cena is the only wrestler in the past 20 years who could compete with The Rock as a fan-favorite. He tore up show after show, being part of some of the best matches wrestling fans have ever seen, and turned a simple gesture into a household name.
He seems to still be in the early stages of his acting career, as he has starred in several roles, but only a tiny number have gained mass attention. He has been part of The Fast and Furious franchise, with his biggest role being that of Peacemaker in the Suicide Squad movie.
Dave Bautista
“The Animal” Dave Bautista has taken his big-man status to the silver screen. He made a name for himself in the wrestling industry by teaming up with Ric Flair, Triple H, and a young Randy Orton, destroying almost every wrestler put in his path.
His biggest movie role so far is that of Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers series. He has also starred in the James Bond film Spectre, the new smash-hit Dune, and will reprise his role of Drax in the upcoming Thor movie and Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin is a name that so many people recognize, whether they are a wrestling fan or not. He caused mayhem when he was on screen and treated the wrestlers that the fans hated badly just to get a reaction.
His movie career hasn’t been as extensive as others on this list. Still, he has had some memorable roles in films such as Longest Yard, where he played a correctional officer and was part of the first Expendables movie playing Dan Paine.
Triple H
Triple H has been an integral part of the wrestling universe for decades now. Being married to Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE owner Vince McMahon, means he has moved from being a wrestler into someone with a lot of say about how the business is run.
His movie career has been on the quieter side, starring in a WWE-produced movie called The Chaperone. His first role, and probably his most memorable, was Jarko Grimwood, a vampire in Blade: Trinity.
Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash is a six foot ten giant that went by the name of Diesel during his time as a wrestler. He was a staple in the wrestling industry for years, teaming up with the biggest names in the industry, such as Shawn Michaels, Sting, and Booker T.
Like other wrestlers, Nash has played the role of “the muscle” in many movies, with many of his roles going unnoticed or in movies that just weren’t very good. However, he starred as Tarzan in the Magic Mike movies alongside Matthew McConaughey and Channing Tatum.
Jesse Ventura
Jesse “The Body” Ventura has had one of the most eclectic careers in the world of wrestling. He has been in the navy, he wrestled and became one of the biggest stars the industry has seen, he has acted, and now he is involved in politics.
While he has starred in many forgettable movies, he did play the role of Blaine Cooper in the original Predator movie, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nowadays, he doesn’t act, but his Predator role gained him a bit of a cult following.
Kane
Kane grew into a superstar very quickly when he joined the WWE. Partly because of his ominous and fiery character, the Undertaker’s “brother,” and partly because of his incredible wrestling ability despite his size.
He has only had five movie roles, one where he played himself in the animated film Scooby-Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery. He played a psychotic killer in See No Evil and its sequel, before hanging up his acting boots to focus on politics.
Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey was the most dangerous woman in the world while at the UFC. A shocking loss to Holly Holm made her take the plunge and join the WWE. She became one of the most hyped wrestlers on the card due to her strength and dominance in the women’s division.
She has also had a very limited acting career but has starred in Expendables 3, Furious 7, Entourage, and the remake of Charlie’s Angels. She has also had some TV roles in shows like 9-1-1 and Game On!.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan was the biggest name in wrestling long before the likes of The Rock and John Cena stepped foot inside a ring. His theme music still gets reactions that make you think the messiah has returned when he hits the ramp.
He has had a surprisingly quiet and sometimes unimpressive movie career. His most significant role would be playing Thunderlips in the smash boxing hit Rocky 3 alongside Sly Stallone and Mr T.
Final thoughts
Wrestlers seem to be able to transfer their skills onto the silver screen quite successfully. While some have starred in flops, some have starred in multi-million dollar box office hits. We just have to wait and see what is next for some of these wrestlers turned actors.
