10 Actors Who Dramatically Rebranded Themselves In The Last Decade

When he first made the leap from the pro wrestling ring to the big screen, The Rock couldn't pay critics to take him seriously. It didn't help that his initial roles were mediocre at best, or that the last wrestling superstar to make a move in Hollywood was Hulk Hogan, who embarrassed himself pretty thoroughly in the process. With the cards stacked against him, the poor guy really had his work cut out for him.

It took a while, but eventually The Rock - who eventually dropped his ring name in favor of his birth name, Dwayne Johnson - moved beyond the awful, generic action roles that earned him no love with critics, and started seeking out equally generic family-friendly roles in Disney movies.

But after that, the world was finally presented with a true, larger than life movie star that became known for his ability to revive a stale movie series, earning the nickname of "Franchise Viagra." And it's true, interest in flatlining franchises like G.I. Joe and the Fast and Furious piqued after The Rock came aboard.

More impressively, however, was his jump from action megastar to nuanced, small screen actor on HBO's excellent Ballers, in which Johnson plays a former football player and current financial manager.

It doesn't sound like the most exciting part, but Johnson brings his trademark charisma and self-depracation to the role, proving that the guy is much more than a Hulk-sized sports entertainer.