Ace athletes must devote a significant amount of time to honing and maintaining their prodigious physical abilities. However, this does not prevent them from catching the acting bug. In fact, many athletes end up becoming actors or at least attempting to make it on the big screen after their sports careers are over.
We’re not talking about small cameos in and of themselves. We’re talking about genuine acting performances here, even if some of them are as “themselves” in some ways. Here are some athletes who have dabbled in acting. They are all memorable and noteworthy, and sometimes even impressive.
Ace athletes turned actors:
1. Kevin Garnett:
Garnett has only had one real role, as himself in “Uncut Gems.” However, KG (do you hear that in Adam Sandler’s voice?) is genuinely excellent in the film. His acting abilities are genuine, and he brings a lot of intensity to an intense film.
2. John Matuszak:
Matuszak was a massive defensive lineman who spent the majority of his career with the Raiders, where he won two Super Bowls. He went on to play a variety of roles requiring a giant, the most famous of which was undoubtedly his portrayal of Sloth in “The Goonies.” Unfortunately, Matuszak died of a drug overdose at the age of 38.
3. Fred Dryer:
Dryer was a two-time All-Pro and the only player in NFL history to pick up two safeties in the same game. Surprisingly, the football star was almost cast as Sam Malone in “Cheers,” making Sam a former football player rather than a former baseball player. Instead, Dryer was cast as the lead in the 1980s cop drama “Hunter.”
4. Dave Bautista:
If we consider professional wrestlers athletes — and Bautista also has some MMA experience — he’s one of the most successful people in both his athletic and acting careers. Bautista, known in WWE as “Batista,” was a multiple-time champion. You may recognize him from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Drax the Destroyer.
5. Bob Uecker:
Uecker was not a great player, finishing his career with a.200 batting average. However, he discovered his calling in announcing, that he is a Hall of Famer. He has also had a successful acting career. In addition to his role as Cleveland’s announcer in “Major League,” Uecker starred in the sitcom “Mr. Belvedere.”
6. Gina Carano:
Carano was instrumental in putting women’s MMA on the map, and something about her had to have piqued Steven Soderbergh’s interest. He cast her as the lead in his film “Haywire,” primarily because of her ability to perform fight scenes. It worked for that film, and she has since had supporting roles in which she plays muscle, including “The Mandalorian.”
7. Dwayne Johnson:
Johnson was a college football player at Miami before becoming the world’s biggest pro wrestler. Then he was known as The Rock. Now, we just know him as a legitimate movie star with a half-dozen films out every year.
8. Bert Convy:
Convy was best known for hosting game shows, but he also dabbled in acting. For instance, he appears in the pilot episode of “Murder, She Wrote.” Prior to that, he was signed out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies and played a couple of years in minor-league baseball.
9. John Amos:
On the sitcom “Good Times,” Amos was overshadowed by Jimmy “J.J.” Walker and his catchphrase, “Dy-no-mite!” He also appeared in the film “Roots.” His athletic career did not quite measure up. Amos played football in college as well as in some defunct minor football leagues. He was also the Golden Gloves boxing champion. In short, he’s not someone you want to mess with.
10. LeBron James:
You’re aware of LeBron’s athletic exploits. He’s simply the best basketball player of his generation. However, he has demonstrated a talent for acting after completing his Hall of Fame career. Everyone who saw “Trainwreck” agrees that James stole the show in that one. He is currently starring in the “Space Jam” reboot.
11. Kyrie Irving:
Irving is a fantastic player, but he does not appear to enjoy speaking with the media. As a result, it’s a little strange that he starred in a film. Perhaps it’s because when he plays Uncle Drew, he’s disguised as an elderly man. Despite beginning as a Pepsi commercial, “Uncle Drew” received positive reviews and cast a few basketball players in acting roles.
12. Shaquille O’Neal:
Shaq was always interested in things other than basketball. He rapped, had a video game based on himself as a martial artist, and, of course, acted. While no one will praise his films “Kazaam” or “Steel,” he is a former athlete who has appeared in a number of films. He was also quite good in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” as himself.
13. Merlin Olsen:
Olsen had a lot of success on the football field and was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his work on the defensive line. He didn’t rest on his laurels, however, and after retiring, he began acting. Olsen had significant roles in both “Little House on the Prairie” and “Father Murphy,” in which he was the lead.
14. Alex Karras:
What is it about retired NFL defensive linemen who turn to acting? Karras is undoubtedly one of the more well-known former athletes who has acted. He appeared in “Webster,” and he is best known for his role as Mongo in “Blazing Saddles,” in which he punched a horse.
15. Chuck Connors:
Connors was a phenomenal athlete who excelled in both the NBA and the MLB. Even though it was the 1940s, it was still impressive. If you want to get a sense of how old-fashioned Connors’ life was, he then began acting in television Westerns. He was best known as the star of “The Rifleman,” which aired for 168 episodes.
16. Terry Crews:
If you see Crews on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” you won’t be surprised to learn that he used to be a professional athlete. In the 1990s, the muscle-bound thespian played in the NFL, but he never found his footing. Acting has certainly served him better.
17. Sonja Henie:
18. Jim Brown:
Brown’s exploits on the football (and lacrosse) fields are well known. When he was at his peak, he was the best running back in the world. Brown then went into acting, appearing in blaxploitation films as well as “The Dirty Dozen.”
19. Bob Golic:
Bob’s brother Mike is better known for his decades of work on ESPN radio. On the field, however, Bob had the better career, as he was a three-time Pro Bowler. In addition, Bob is the one who got to appear in “Saved by the Bell: The College Years.” What is the name of his character? Mike.
20. Rosey Grier:
Grier was a formidable football player known for his prowess on the field as well as his love of macramé and needlepoint. He went on to become one of the first NFL players to become a successful actor. Grier appeared as a guest on dozens of TV shows and was a regular on a few of them.
21. Ed Marinaro:
Marinaro was the Heisman Trophy runner-up, and he later spent time in the NFL. He’s best known these days for his role as Officer Joe Coffey on “Hill Street Blues,” which he played from 1981 to 1986.
22. Bubba Smith:
Sure, the “Police Academy” films aren’t among the greatest works of cinema. Smith, on the other hand, appeared in six of those films as Moses Hightower. That’s a legitimate acting career, and he had more. He was a two-time All-American at Michigan State before being selected first overall in the 1967 NFL Draft.
23. John David Washington:
24. Carl Weathers:
Weathers’ role in Apollo Creed was more than just that of an athlete. The future co-star of several “Rocky” films was a football player before becoming a well-known actor. He never really broke out in the NFL, but he did play a few seasons in Canada.
25. Fred Williamson:
26. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
Kareem remains the highest-scoring player in NBA history, at least until LeBron surpasses him. But Abdul-Jabbar is a true Renaissance man. He has done some acting in addition to being a novelist. Of course, the only role that people seem to be interested in is Roger Murdock in “Airplane!” What can you blame them for?
27. Terry Bradshaw:
We’ve been watching the former Steelers quarterback as a talking head for FOX’s football coverage for years. He’s also done some acting. He’s done a lot of it as himself, which he clearly enjoys, but he’s also played characters in films like “Failure to Launch.”
28. Detlef Schrempf:
29. Roy Hibbert:
Hibbert was the poster boy for “verticality” before the NBA changed and made big men like him liabilities. He could, however, pursue acting if he so desired. Hibbert, like Schrempf, appeared in three episodes of “Parks and Recreation” and was amusing and charming. He also appeared as himself on “The Eric Andre Show,” proving that he’s a good sport.
30. Cam Neely:
Neely was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame despite not having particularly impressive statistics, owing primarily to the fact that injuries cut his career short. His time with the Bruins, however, seemed to strike a chord with the Farrelly brothers. He played the character of Sea Bass in three of their films. He also made an appearance on hockey fan Denis Leary’s show “Rescue Me.”
31. Brett Favre:
32. Roddy Piper:
Piper was a legitimate fighter before becoming a successful pro wrestler, winning a Golden Gloves boxing championship. Perhaps he used some of that in the memorable fight scene from “They Live.” It’s undeniably the pinnacle of Piper’s acting career. No offence intended to “Hell Comes to Frogtown.”
33. Ronda Rousey:
For a time, Rousey was the biggest MMA star in the world, and she recently had a run as a WWE champion. She’s done some acting in the interim. She’s mostly appeared in action films that rely on her ability to fight and intimidate. Rousey appears in an episode of “Drunk History,” but she plays an infamous female bouncer.
34. Andre the Giant:
Andre never tried his hand at “legit” sports, but his size may have made it difficult. He could barely move by the end of his legendary wrestling career. That problem lingered into his acting career, but he still had the opportunity to play “Fezzik” in “The Princess Bride.”
35. Kevin Nash:
Nash is most likely remembered as a pro wrestler, including as a member of the nWo, a group that helped shape wrestling. However, before attempting to wrestle, he played basketball at the University of Tennessee and briefly in Germany. Nash has done a lot of acting in the last few years. You might recognize him from the films “Magic Mike” or “John Wick.” You might be surprised to learn that he also played Super Shredder in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II.”
So, this was all about the top ace athletes who turned into an actor. Also read, Top must-watch greatest Sports movies of all-time!
