It’s hard to believe that professional athletes can also have the talent to be great actors. Some of the following actors started out with athletic careers but have become even more famous as actors.
Terry Crews
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Terry Crews in the 1991 NFL draft. During this time in the NFL, he played for the Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, Washington Commanders, and Philadelphia Eagles. Betting on the NFL is popular in America, and the Green Bay Packers are one of the most popular teams to bet on.
However, Crews was destined to have more success as a comedic actor than a football player. He has appeared in many movies such as Terminator Salvation, Idiocracy, Draft Day, Deadpool 2, and The Expendables. His roles in the television comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine and as a host of America’s Got Talent have brought him widespread recognition.
Shaquille O’Neal
The 7-foot Shaquille O’Neal earned many individual accolades as a professional basketball player like 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, and three Finals MVP awards. Now he is not only a legendary athlete but an entertainer and philanthropist.
O’Neal’s best role was as himself in the Season 2 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David accidentally trips him on the court at a Lakers game. He always seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself, whether he’s playing a genie in Kazaam or a college basketball star in Blue Chips. He was one of the first black actors to star in the DC Comics superhero film Steel, even though it wasn’t exactly a hit.
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was an athlete but is now a well-known Hollywood actor. It was originally his dream to play in the NFL, and he played defensive tackle for the Miami Hurricanes before a brief foray into the Canadian Football League. After his football career, he became a star wrestler in the WWF/WWE.
The Rock’s career as a movie star has led to a fulfilling life. His acting career began in the movies The Mummy Returns and Scorpion King. He was popular in the Fast and Furious movies. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was one of the highest-grossing hits of his career. One of his most recent movies was Jungle Cruise for Disney.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a professional bodybuilder who won Mr. Olympia seven times. With his strong accent, it was almost unthinkable that he would become an actor.
In 1977, he appeared in the documentary Pumping Iron, and his screen presence was undeniable.
When he retired from bodybuilding, he became one of the most popular movie stars of his generation. One of his iconic roles was in the Terminator series. He acted in many other movies such as Conan the Barbarian, Commando, and Predator. He also served as governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
Ed O’Neill
Ed O’Neill is widely known for playing Al Bundy in the popular series Married with Children. He also played Jay Pritchard in the ABC sitcom Modern Family for 11 seasons. It ran from 2009 to 2020.
What is probably less well-known is that he was a professional footballer. He attended Ohio University on a football scholarship but transferred to Youngstown State after his sophomore year. He played as a defensive lineman for Youngstown State. In 1969, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was cut during training camp. He went back to school, and after graduating, he became a social studies teacher before fully committing to acting.
