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?
1Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia bodybuilding champion who became an action icon with The Terminator, Predator, and Total Recall.
2Dwayne JohnsonWWE champion The Rock who became Hollywood's highest-paid actor with Jumanji and Fast & Furious.
3Jim BrownNFL legend widely considered the greatest running back ever, who starred in The Dirty Dozen and Mars Attacks.
4Dave BautistaWWE world champion who earned critical praise as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy and in Blade Runner 2049.
5Carl WeathersFormer CFL linebacker who became iconic as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series and starred in Predator.
6Terry CrewsFormer NFL linebacker turned comedic actor in White Chicks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the Expendables series.
7Jason StathamFormer Olympic diving team member turned action star in The Transporter, Crank, and The Meg.
8Vinnie JonesWelsh footballer and FA Cup winner who became a tough-guy actor in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
9Kareem Abdul-JabbarNBA all-time scoring leader who hilariously played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane!
10John CenaWWE superstar who successfully transitioned to acting with Peacemaker, Blockers, and Bumblebee.
11Chuck NorrisSix-time world karate champion who became an action star in Missing in Action and Walker, Texas Ranger.
12Andre the GiantLegendary professional wrestler who won hearts as Fezzik in The Princess Bride.
13Ronda RouseyUFC bantamweight champion who appeared in The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.
14Alex KarrasNFL All-Pro defensive tackle who stole scenes in Blazing Saddles and starred in the sitcom Webster.
15Bubba SmithNFL All-Pro turned lovable Moses Hightower in the Police Academy franchise.
16Gina CaranoMMA pioneer who starred in Steven Soderbergh's Haywire and appeared in The Mandalorian.
17Jim KellyMartial arts champion who co-starred alongside Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon.
18Jesse VenturaGovernor of Minnesota who acted in Predator and The Running Man alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Comments 1
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