When it comes to having a roster of some of the most well-conditioned, shredded athletes in the world, the WWE is at the top of the charts. While most WWE superstars remain in the squared-circle as pro wrestlers, many of its biggest stars over the years have shown they are multifaceted talents, working as actors in some of the Hollywood’s biggest movies.
Of all the WWE superstars who have made the evolution, no one has been more successful than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. After becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in the world, Johnson has now become the highest-paid actor on the planet. From major movie franchises like the Fast & Furious—and his new spinoff Hobbs & Shaw—and the Jumanji films to original action flicks like Skyscraper, Rampage, and San Andreas, Johnson has the power to make any movie happen. On top of acting, he’s flexed his power into producing with his Seven Bucks Production company, which has branches in TV, films, video games, internet videos, and much more. Not bad for a guy who once only had “seven bucks” in his pocket before breaking big. But Johnson isn’t the only massive success to come out of the WWE.
John Cena has been closely following Johnson’s footsteps, even joining the Fast & Furious franchise for the ninth film, F9, which will be released in 2021. On top of that, Cena starred in the Transformers franchise with his role in Bumblebee and showed off his range by flexing his comedic chops in films like Blockers and Trainwreck.
Dave Bautista has carved out his own successful run in Hollywood, parlaying his WWE stardom into a major role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers films and a Bond villain in Spectre. But like both Cena and Johnson, Bautista has shown that he’s more than just an action star, appearing in sci-fi movies like Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, as well as comedic films like Stuber and My Spy.
Here are 10 WWE performers who have turned in great acting careers, from the modern-day to the originals.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin made waves throughout his WWE career for being a brash and bold personality, as well as a heck of an in-ring competitor. Austin, a six-time WWE Champion, made his acting debut in the 2005 comedy film The Longest Yard, alongside Adam Sandler. His most notable acting pursuit, however, came in the 2007 WWE-produced action movie The Condemned.
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John Cena
John Cena is a man of many talents. The 42-year-old, 15-time WWE Champion excels in the ring and out of it. Cena blazed through foes in the squared circle, which propelled him into a notable acting career that includes starring roles in Bumblebee, Blockers, and Trainwreck.
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The Rock
Following a lengthy career in the WWE, where he laid the smackdown on numerous jabronis, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson broke into the big screen and instantly became a hit. The former wrestling standout has made quite the splash in Hollywood appearing in such films as Jumanji, the Fast & Furious series, Pain & Gain, and Hercules.Â
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Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash, also known as “Big Sexy” during his heyday in professional wrestling, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2015. Nash has been a champion and left his mark on each of the three major professional wrestling organizations in existence, while making appearances in popular films like The Punisher, The Longest Yard, John Wick and the Magic Mike series.Â
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Kane
Over the course of the past 20-plus years, Kane (real name Glenn Jacobs) has gone through countless feuds and makeovers in the wrestling world. Despite grinding away on the road for years at a time, Kane took time out of his hectic schedule in 2006 to film a horror movie called See No Evil, where he played psychopath Jacob Goodnight. He reprised the same role in a 2014 sequel.
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Jessie Ventura
Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s line of work speaks for itself. The former military man, tag team champion, and Governor of Minnesota has enjoyed much success throughout his life, even in film. The 67-year-old was featured alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator, The Running Man, and Batman & Robin.Â
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Triple H
Known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley in his early WWE run, Triple H now plays a pivotal role in managing the day-to-day operations of WWE, while still managing to maintain a chiseled physique as he closes in on age 50. Though he spends most of his time in a suit and tie now, Hunter does make the occasional in-ring appearance at big events. A few years back, though, it looked like he was primed for a bigger Hollywood presence, landing roles in movies like The Chaperone and Blade: Trinity.Â
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Batista
Dave Bautista (Batista in wrestling) rag-dolled foes in the WWE throughout the 2000s, racking up six title wins and victories over the likes of Undertaker, Triple H, and John Cena in the process. The 50-year-old Filipino-Greek actor also wrecks fools on film, playing badasses such as Brass Body in The Man with the Iron Fists and Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan’s awe-inspiring professional wrestling career transcends various eras, from the days of “Hulkamania,” to his pairing with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall as the New World Order. A 12-time WWE/WCW Champion, Hogan continued to wrestle beyond the age of 50. Earlier on in his wrestling career, though, he appeared in Rocky III as Thunderlips.
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Andre the Giant
There is no other wrestler to garner attention quite like Andre the Giant did every time he graced the squared circle. A 7’4”, 500+ pound behemoth, Andre is most known for his heel turn and feud with Hulk Hogan. One of his more acclaimed big screen appearances was as an outlaw named Fezzik in The Princess Bride.
