The Oscars were last night, and many talented actors who have been working their whole lives for that award fulfilled their dreams. This got us thinking…athletes work their whole lives to become professionals too, but some end up changing their professions. Here are 9 athletes who became famous actors.
1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
We all know Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from the buff guy he always portrays in movies. However, Johnson also had an eight-year-long career in the WWE as a professional wrestler. Even before that, Johnson was a Division I football player at the University of Miami and played in 39 games. His athletic background helped him score roles later on in films like Jumanji, Black Adam, and even his voice acting in Moana.
2. Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie was a 3x Olympic gold medalist, 10x World champion, and 6x European champion in the sport of figure skating. After retiring from professional figure skating, Henie moved to California to become a film star. She soon became one of the highest-paid actresses of that time starring in movies such as Sun Valley Serenade, The Countess of Monte Carlo, and Thin Ice.
3. John Cena
Similar to The Rock, John Cena is another WWE star turned actor. He started out as a professional bodybuilder but soon turned to wrestling. Cena won 16 world championships. Cena also decided to try out the acting scene and soon became a big hit there as well. He has since starred in movies such as Suicide Squad, Trainwreck, and Bumblebee.
4. Terry Crews
Now known for his impressive acting career, Terry Crews was once a star football player. Crews walked on to the team at Western Michigan University and went on to be drafted by the LA Rams. He played for a few other NFL teams before retiring in 1997. He went on to star in roles in White Chicks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Everybody Hates Chris.
5. Jim Brown
Jim Brown became an actor right before the end of his football career. Brown was a star running back at Syracuse University and was the 6th overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He went on to win an NFL championship with the Browns in 1964 and was a 3x NFL MVP. He then decided to add “actor” to his resume and starred in movies like The Dirty Dozen and 100 Rifles.
6. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a famous bodybuilder before starting his acting career. He won the Mr. Universe title five times and the Mr. Olympia contest seven times. After bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger took acting for a spin and ended up starring in huge films such as Terminator, Judgement Day, and Total Recall.
7. Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista is another former professional WWE wrestler. He was a 6x world champion and headlines WrestleMania 21 and XXX. He started acting in the middle of his WWE career and has started in big films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, The Man with the Iron Fists, and Spectre.
8. Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey had an incredible career as a professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. She became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo and won many fights in MMA and WWE. Rousey tried out acting too and has appeared in movies like The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.
9. Carl Weathers
Most of us know Carl Weathers as the iconic Apollo Creed from Rocky, but you might not know that he was also a professional football player. He played college football at San Diego State University and later signed with the Oakland Raiders. However, he was released by the Raiders after only a year with the team. He played three more years in the Canadian Football League before retiring to become an actor. He starred in Rocky, Predator, and Toy Story.
Image Credit: SDSU Athletics/Syracuse University Athletics
