Who is the best athlete turned actor?

From wrestling rings and football fields to Hollywood blockbusters, these athletes swapped trophies for scripts — and some became bigger stars on screen than in the arena. Who made the biggest impact?

1

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion who became an action icon with The Terminator, Predator, and Total Recall.

2

Dwayne Johnson

WWE champion The Rock who became Hollywood's highest-paid actor with Jumanji and Fast & Furious.

3

Jim Brown

NFL legend widely considered the greatest running back ever, who starred in The Dirty Dozen and Mars Attacks.

4

Dave Bautista

WWE world champion who earned critical praise as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy and in Blade Runner 2049.

5

Carl Weathers

Former CFL linebacker who became iconic as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series and starred in Predator.

6

Terry Crews

Former NFL linebacker turned comedic actor in White Chicks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the Expendables series.

7

Jason Statham

Former Olympic diving team member turned action star in The Transporter, Crank, and The Meg.

8

Vinnie Jones

Welsh footballer and FA Cup winner who became a tough-guy actor in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.

9

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

NBA all-time scoring leader who hilariously played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane!

10

John Cena

WWE superstar who successfully transitioned to acting with Peacemaker, Blockers, and Bumblebee.

11

Chuck Norris

Six-time world karate champion who became an action star in Missing in Action and Walker, Texas Ranger.

12

Andre the Giant

Legendary professional wrestler who won hearts as Fezzik in The Princess Bride.

13

Ronda Rousey

UFC bantamweight champion who appeared in The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.

14

Alex Karras

NFL All-Pro defensive tackle who stole scenes in Blazing Saddles and starred in the sitcom Webster.

15

Bubba Smith

NFL All-Pro turned lovable Moses Hightower in the Police Academy franchise.

16

Gina Carano

MMA pioneer who starred in Steven Soderbergh's Haywire and appeared in The Mandalorian.

17

Jim Kelly

Martial arts champion who co-starred alongside Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon.

18

Jesse Ventura

Governor of Minnesota who acted in Predator and The Running Man alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.