10 Legitimately Good Acting Performances By Pro Wrestlers In Movies

There's more of them than you might think.

Many people tend to think that being a pro wrestler and being an actor are two very similar professions. Well, that couldn't be any further from the truth. It is true that there are some aspects of wrestling that can be carried over into acting, but in-ring success doesn't always translate to the big screen. There are few exceptions to that rule, however, with the most obvious one being The Rock. After hanging up his boots in 2003 to pursue an acting career, Rock went from having a brief cameo in "The Mummy 2" as The Scorpion King to being featured in his own blockbuster film "Hercules" over a decade later. Not all former main event players have bode well in Hollywood, though. Hulk Hogan is the perfect example. Hogan is easily one of the most influential figures in pro wrestling history, giving birth to Hulkamania in the 1980s and creating a wrestling boom in the process. He, too, took time off during his WWE run during that time to film movies such as "No Holds Barred", "Suburban Commando" and "Mr. Nanny". All aforementioned titles bombed and were met with negative reviews from critics. While no one in the wrestling world may come close to accomplish what The Rock has managed to achieve in the last 10 years on the big screen, there are several Superstars who have at least attempted to come close. They may not be winning any awards for their acting skills any time soon, but these crossover athletes fared better than anyone ever expected them to, making their performances that much more impressive.
Contributor
Contributor

Since 2008, Graham has been a diehard pro wrestling fan and, in 2010, he combined his passions for WWE and writing when he joined Bleacher Report. Equipped with a master's in journalism, Graham has contributed to WhatCulture, FanSided's Daily DDT, Sports Betting Dime, and GateHouse Media. Along the way, he has conducted interviews with wrestling superstars like Chris Jericho, Edge, Goldberg, Christian, Diamond Dallas Page, Jim Ross, Adam Cole, Tessa Blanchard, Ryback, and Nick Aldis among others.