Athletes Who Became Actors: Breaking the System

Posted: March 1, 2022

Updated: October 31, 2023

Dwayne Johnson trained all his life playing football and wrestling.
Jason Statham gained superstardom with the Fast & Furious franchise.
Vinnie Jones is famous for his bravery and toughness on the football field.
"9 1/2 Weeks" and "Wild Orchid" opened up a completely different Mickey Rourke.

When they swim, play football, or wrestle, winning medals and titles, they do not have enough free time. But when they get out of the pool, leave the ring, or get off their bikes, they have both time and a new life that is difficult to form all at once. What does life look like after a sports career? It is difficult for public people to remain in the shadows. They are trying to conquer stages and screens. There have been so many athletes trying out the film industry that it's hard to name them all. Only a few managed to make a successful career in cinema. So let's recall some of these athletes who became actors! Perhaps the most famous is Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilder of all time. In the movies about Conan, the Terminator, the Predator, developed muscles were very useful. Movie buffs and pranksters certainly know Chuck Norris. However, not everyone remembers that Lone Wolf McQuade is a seven-time world karate champion. Also worth mentioning is the brilliant basketball player Michael Jordan in Space Jam, where he partnered with Bugs Bunny. The best Polish football player in history, Kazimierz Dejna, appeared in Victory alongside Pelé and… Sylvester Stallone. The list of athletes taking off their helmets and boxing gloves for film and television is quite long. Let's remember other athletes who became actors.

Athletes Who Became Actors: Johnny Weissmuller

American athlete Johnny Weissmuller has entered the history of world sports at the age of 24, becoming a five-time Olympic champion. Born on the territory of modern Romania, Johnny ended up in the United States as a child, where, after suffering from polio, he took up swimming and reached unprecedented heights in this sport. At two Olympics, in Paris and Amsterdam, Weissmuller had no equal, and Johnny finished his sports campaign undefeated. In life, a new test awaited him - competitions on the water were replaced by a large screen, but even here the handsome athlete was able to handle a lot. Weissmuller not only became a symbol of his generation but also embodied on the screen an image that is still recognized today, Tarzan with his famous scream. Three dozen films loved by the audience are an excellent addition to sports gold medals.

The "Wrestler" Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke's life has been an odyssey. The indefatigable energy of Mickey Rourke from childhood was looking for an exit, and this thirst for adventure often caused problems for the young American. As a world-class boxing star in the 80s, he was featured in numerous obscure films in the 90s. Losing all self-respect and needing a break, Mickey returned to the ring. In 1991, he had eight professional fights, winning six of them with four knockouts (and two draws). The ring, however, did not bring much money. In the 2000s, he returned to acting, culminating accordingly with the Oscar-nominated The Wrestler.

Athletes Who Became Actors: Matthew Perry

In Friends, Matthew Perry was a sarcastic character. His manic energy is part of the show's success. In Canada, Perry was an amateur tennis player. Played nationally at the age of thirteen! Two years later, he moved to Los Angeles and got badly injured. He had to make a new career choice. Luckily for Friends fans, he chose acting. If you are looking for a good place to bet, check out the online gambling sites in the US, for instance, Bovada Sportsbook.

Athletes Who Became Actors: Jason Statham

54-year-old Jason Statham (The Transporter, Fast & Furious ) was a member of the UK national watersports team in his younger years. Specialized in diving. He participated in many competitions, in 1990 he fought at the Spring Swallows tournament in Moscow. His best finish was eighth at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. There was a catastrophic lack of money - Jason began to sell counterfeit watches, perfumes, and jewelry, and at 24 he quit sports. The handsome man began acting in clothing commercials and music videos for rock bands. In 1997, director Guy Ritchie invited him to the action movie Cards, Money, Two Smoking Barrels. Statham performs all his stunts and fights in front of the camera without stunt doubles.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Man on top of the world. It is not necessary to list his roles to identify the Rock. Most people know about his sports career as a wrestler, he gained immense popularity in the ring. At the University of Miami, Johnson was a football star, playing defense. He won the national championship in 1991. After college, Dwayne signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was on the training team but left football after being cut. At one point, when he was offered movie roles, Dwayne could not refuse. It seems he made the right choice. However, the actor also did not abandon training in the gym, which allows him to look simply amazing on the screen. In 2001, he got into the Guinness Book of Records, having received a fee of 5.5 million for the lead role in his debut film The Scorpion King.

From Athletes to Actors: Dave Bautista

You've seen him in the latest Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Dave Bautista appears in many more movies and doesn't seem to be stopping. Before the big screen, Bautista rose to fame as a WWE wrestler, becoming a six-time world champion. In 2012, the Brazilian purple belt in jiu-jitsu won a professional MMA fight. Champion boy! Did you know that you could even bet on movies and TV Shows? Bovada Sportsbook is a great place to try this out. Also, make sure to visit the online gambling sites in the US!

Athletes Who Became Actors: Eric Cantona

Another footballer on our list is the legendary Frenchman Eric Cantona, who, by the way, faced Vinnie Jones on the field when he was a player of the Manchester United club, with whom the midfielder collected all conceivable awards. But he managed to conflict with opponents, referees, teammates, coaches, and even fans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_uzU85htH4 The inability to control himself often cost Eric dearly. But in the cinema, Canton seemed to be replaced - from a street hooligan, he turned into a respectable monsignor, who found a place not only in primitive French comedies but also in such productions as "Elizabeth", as well as in the drama "Looking for Eric", nominated for " Palme d'Or" at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Axe Vinnie Jones

Our long-time readers may not only have seen stories about Vinnie Jones' atrocities on the pitch or YouTube videos but also watched this defender's tough playing style on live broadcasts of the English Premier League on our TV. Jones' dirty tricks became his calling card on the field, but they, together with a collection of yellow and red cards, served as a movie pass for this characteristic British giant with a stone face, nicknamed by his enemies Axe. The debut, like for a whole galaxy of young Englishmen, for Vinnie, was Guy Ritchie's film "Cards, Money, Two Smoking Barrels", which consolidated the image of Vinnie Jones: a taciturn tough guy who solves any problems with his fists. Today, in the filmography of Jones, there are already almost a hundred roles, among which the work in the film “She' the Man” stands out, in this comedy Vinnie again enters the football field!