7 Times Athletes Became Actors (and Totally Slayed)!

When athletes gain notoriety, they become the center of attention. They gain a lot of fans, they make millions of dollars, and their face becomes a selling tool. These athletes end up on top of the world. While they are up on the top, they may decide to take advantage of their notoriety. These athletes will use their recognition and confidence to go into the acting world. Many athletes have decided to take on another form of entertainment by becoming actors, starring in a variety of films and television shows. Thisallows for fans and audiences to see them in a new, magnetic light. Being an athlete requires skill, determination, and passion. Some of those talents can be transferred over to acting, which is why these athletes have had some great success in film and television!

1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

At the turn of the century, one of the most dominating forces in wrestling was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He is a 10-time world wrestling champion who has helped the WWE grow into what it is today. After that great success in wrestling, Johnson decided to switch paths towards acting. By the looks of it, that switch paid off. His big break in acting came in 2001 with his appearance as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns, which lead to his own spinoff film the following year. More roles followed, in movies like Walking Tall, The Game Plan, and Get Smart. In 2011, he joined the Fast and Furious franchise in the fifth film, Fast Five. This eventually led to a spinoff starring Johnson, Hobbes and Shaw. He also starred in his own television drama, "Ballers", which lasted 5 seasons, as well as NBC's "Young Rock", based on his own childhood. Johnson has mostly done film work, starring in big movies like Hercules, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Baywatch, Jungle Cruise, and more. He also voiced Maui the Demigod in Disney's Moana, where he also got the chance to show off his singing skills. Based on all of these movies, it is clear that Johnson has found his acting stride.

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

As a 19 time all-star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been called one of the best basketball players ever. He has led his teams to many championships and dominated on the court. Abdul-Jabbar consistently showed his stupendous basketball talents, but he also has had some comedic talents to show off. Abdul-Jabbar played First Officer Roger Murdock in the classic comedy film Airplane! to much acclaim. He was also in Bruce Lee’s final film, Game of Death. In addition, he has been a guest actor in many popular television shows, such as "Full House", "Living Single", "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Diff’rent Strokes", and more. Abdul-Jabbar also starred in the film Slam Dunk Ernest, one of the many classic Ernest films. Abdul-Jabbar has found a lot of praise for his acting, demonstrating a smooth athlete-to-actor transition.

3. John Cena

There was a time when John Cena was one of the most notable figures in wrestling. He has held the most world championship reigns with 16 total, and has been a headliner for Wrestlemani 5 times. Wrestling fans all over the world paid attention to Cena and his talents. Now, people pay attention to Cena’s acting talents. His acting debut came with a lead role in the film, The Marine. He was later in many comedy films, including important roles in Blockers, Trainwreck, Sisters, and Vacation Friends. Cena later joined the Fast and Furious franchise with the 9th film, F9. He has done other action films like The Wall and Bumblebee. Cena currently plays the titular role in HBO's superhero series "Peacemaker", a character he debuted in 2021's The Suicide Squad. Cena is now consistently working in film and television, and his work always gains a large audience.

4. Michael Jordan

When it comes to basketball, Michael Jordan is constantly referred to as one of the greatest players of all time. He has 6 NBA championships, 6 MVP awards, and he set numerous NBA records. One could say that the sport and his name have become synonymous. There is certainly no denying these talents, but Jordan has shown his star power off the court as well. Jordan was the lead in the popular 1996 film Space Jam, starring alongside the classic Looney Tunes characters. While the movie is not critically acclaimed, audiences loved it and they honed in on Jordan’s acting abilities. While he has not done much acting since then, the legacy of this film lives on. He will always be known as a fantastic basketball player, but he will also be the basketball player that saved Bugs Bunny and his friends!

5. Terry Bradshaw

As a Hall of Fame football player and a winner of 4 Super Bowls, Terry Bradshaw has gained a lot of notoriety. He has taken that notoriety to the acting world. Bradshaw has made a lot of appearances in many movies and television shows. One of his most notable acting roles was in the film Failure to Launch, where many critics applauded Bradshaw’s comedic acting. He has guest-starred in many sitcoms, like "Married.. With Children", "Modern Family", "The League", and more. In terms of film acting, Bradshaw has also been in movies like Hooper and The Cannonball Run. Bradshaw also has the distinction of being the first NFL player with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While he has not had many lead roles, Bradshaw has demonstrated his acting skills and has stood out in many pieces of media.

6. Dave Bautista

It appears that the wrestler-to-actor pipeline is a very common and natural one. 4-time World Heavyweight champion Dave Bautista has had a big career transition. After making a name for himself with wrestling, Bautista decided to explore his passions for acting. His big acting career began when he took on the role of Drax the Destroyer in the hit Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers franchise. He has also had memorable supporting appearances in big films like Blade Runner 2049 and Dune. Recently, he starred in the zombie film Army of the Dead, the hit murder comedy Glass Onion, and the horror film Knock at the Cabin, where director M. Night Shyamalan praised Bautista as the best wrestler-turned-actor he's ever seen! Bautista’s star power has grown a lot over the years, and his acting career will likely grow bigger from here.

7. LeBron James

When it comes to modern basketball, LeBron James is often coming out on top. He has won 4 NBA championships and is currently the all-time leading scorer in the sport. While it does not look like his basketball career is slowing down anytime soon, he has still found time to pursue some acting side projects. Recently, he starred in the comedy film Space Jam: A New Legacy, a remake of the beloved film Space Jam. While not as popular of a film as the original, it was still a place for James to show that he knows how to act. He has also had small appearances in films like House Party and Trainwreck. James has even done voice acting, as he voiced a supporting character in the film Smallfoot. King James has a lot of charisma, and that is shown on the court as well as on the screen.