With his hands on a mic and a camera in his hand, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has emerged as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, but he started his career not in a film studio, but in a wrestling ring. His transition from WWE icon to leading actor has been a trend that’s becoming more commonplace: the sporting arena to the entertainment sphere. Celebrities are increasingly making the leap from sport to acting, and the number of retired and current sports stars turning to acting opportunities are becoming more apparent. The switch to fame, money, and creativity comes with learning new skills and a requirement to start over, but fans of football action will get to enjoy football prediction advice before they move back to stories of sports careers outside of the game.
Why do athletes make the leap to acting?
Actors sometimes have the same attributes as athletes. Hundreds of hours of training build discipline, concentration, teamwork, and performance in the face of pressure. Action films definitely make a difference with physical movement, choreography, and the challenging stunt set. Ex-actors know how to work with a trainer, take criticism and develop by repetition, which are all vital components of acting training.
The business appeal is also very important. Successful athletes are already well known, have fans, and have been featured in the media. Knowing that a recognizable sports star can draw in viewers who would otherwise be at a movie theatre, studios know that their teams can benefit from having someone they know up front. Many athletes have a second career in acting after they retire from sporting careers. The careers in professional sports can be short, and there may be a great deal of motivation to make a long-term change to entertainment, business, or media.
The pioneers: athletes who paved the way for Hollywood stardom
The relationship between sports and films is not a new one. It was with the arrival of NFL star Jim Brown that an athlete started to pursue a career in acting. Brown retired from football in 1966, and became a film star in movies like The Dirty Dozen and went on to earn a reputation off the field.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, however, took a different path, progressing from bodybuilding champion to one of the most popular action stars of all time. Success in movies like The Terminator demonstrated that athletic ability could go down the road of a strong entertainment brand.
It was a transition that Carl Weathers was one of the first to show potential, as he played professional football before turning to acting. He’s become a cultural icon as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series, showing that former athletes can have dramatic range and memorable roles.
The new A-list: Today’s most successful athlete-actors
Today’s Hollywood sports stars have opened the door for other ways to pursue this career. They no longer need to be used in physical tasks or for just a short time. Many have worked out their characters and ranges and become professionals because of personality and project selection.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: The blueprint for global superstardom
The best example is that of a successful athlete becoming a big star, which is what happened in the case of Johnson. He gained fame in WWE and went into film with The Mummy Returns in 2001 but quickly got into the role of a leading man when he brought The Scorpion King in the film. A combination of charisma, business strategy and role selection led to his success.
After playing only in action movies, Johnson went into family entertainment and comedy. He appeared in the Jumanji series and became a bigger star when he was cast as the character Luke Hobbs in the Fast & Furious series.
Dave Bautista and John Cena: The WWE to Hollywood pipeline
Both Dave Bautista and John Cena display two different ways of doing life post-wrestling. Bautista has done a lot of character work, and was seen starring in Guardians of the Galaxy as Drax and other movies like Blade Runner 2049 and Dune. His ability to cast non-typical action characters set him on his own path.
Cena created a different persona by mixing action with comedy. His comic timing and ability to defy expectations was evident in his performances in Trainwreck, Blockers, and the TV series Peacemaker. As evidenced by his career, WWE wrestlers can make it big by developing a personality, not just their body.
More than muscle: Athletes who defy typecasting
Athlete-actors aren’t restricted to the intimidating characters. Former NFL player Terry Crews went on to fame as a comedian. He showed that a football player could be successful if he went the route of humor and emotional range, as he did in Everybody Hates Chris and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Also bucking the trend was the basketball player, LeBron James, who had an appearance in Trainwreck. Excellent performance described as “self-aware, with comic timing” demonstrated that high performing athletes can learn skills beyond their sport.
The other side of the coin: The challenges and failures
While there have been some great success stories, being popular in sports does not mean you will be successful as an actor. When many athletes are called into question by audiences and critics about their ability to transcend their sporting identity, they might find that difficult. Emotional expression, dialogue skills and the ability to disappear into different characters are all necessary elements of acting.
There have been challenges for some transitions to take off. One popular case study of a former sport star who moved to Hollywood and didn’t make it as a star is Shaquille O’Neal’s 1996 movie Kazaam. Some other competitors have been in film, but haven’t achieved a Johnson or Bautista or Cena career path.
So, it’s not just about being popular when it comes to the transition from athlete to actor. The best transitions are a blend of natural charm, work ethic, flexibility, and thirst for knowledge. Sports and entertainment have become more intertwined, and more people will try to go as far as that, but it will only be a handful of participants who will be remembered as iconic Hollywood stars.
Image source: Scorpion King film
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