To cut it as a professional wrestler, you need to have the physical chops to withstand cage matches and body slams and chair shots. But you also need something a little tougher to measure: the ability to create a memorable character that transcends the ring and becomes something else entirely. Professional wrestling is entertainment—and the greatest wrestlers are often the sport’s greatest entertainers. Given how deeply intertwined wrestling is with performance, it’s not a huge surprise that many wrestlers end up taking a stab at acting once they leave the ring.
What is surprising is just how successful so many of them have become in recent years. With the likes of Dwayne “The “Rock” Johnson, Dave Bautista, and John Cena currently dominating our screens in movies like F9, Jungle Cruise, The Suicide Squad, and Bautista’s forthcoming Dune, there’s never been a better time to be a wrestlers-turned-actor. But who holds the belt? We ranked the 20 greatest acting wrestlers in a sort of thespian royal rumble of our making. Step into the ring.
20. Ronda Rousey
As with several wrestlers on this list, Ronda Rousey made her acting debut in an Expendables installment before moving over to play a villain in a Fast and Furious movie. Both roles relied heavily on Rousey’s physicality. And while her acting presence, candidly, still needs a bit of work, she gets a special shoutout for her cameo in the Entourage movie. The scene where she makes Turtle tap out is one of the film’s more memorable sequences. Who among us hasn’t wanted to put one of those guys in a headlock?
19. Hulk Hogan
The Hulkster’s most memorable, and best, acting role is still that of Thunderlips in Rocky III, wherein he delivers a Bane-esque backbreaker to Rocky before getting into a fight with members of the crowd. He’d later go on to reteam with Mr. T in a few episodes of The A-Team, but the controversial wrestling legend could never quite cut it in the world of acting. Hard to top playing a character named Thunderlips.
18. Steve Austin
Despite an electric presence in the ring, Stone Cold Steve Austin has had a pretty spotty Hollywood career. He’s featured in a few supporting roles, but more often appears in straight-to-DVD flicks. One unlikely highlight? He plays memorable villain in Seasons 3 and 4 of Chuck, NBC’s little-remembered action spy comedy).
17. Sasha Banks
One of the best and brightest current WWE stars, Sasha Banks started her transition into Hollywood with a sizeable role in an episode of The Mandalorian’s second season. Funny story behind that one: Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau was so taken with the WWE star’s 2018 appearance on Hot Ones that he cast her on the strength of wing-eating presence alone.
16. Stacy Keibler
Although Stacy Keibler hasn’t actively acted since 2014, she made a strong run in the late 2000s and early 2010s, rattling off a handful of guest spots in major shows like George Lopez, What About Brian, October Road, Chuck, Psych, and How I Met Your Mother. In other words: if you were consistently watching network television in the late aughts, you more than likely saw her at one point or another.
15. Andre the Giant
The Princess Bride nailed it by casting Andre. You can practically feel the joy radiating from the wrestling legend as the goofball mercenary Fezzik in Rob Reiner’s classic tale. He’s surprisingly hilarious—especially when rhyming with Mandy Patinkin—and gets to show off some of his physical chops in a one-sided fight with Cary Elwes. It’s Andre’s only film role (he also played Bigfoot in two episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man in the 70s) but it cements him as one of the most elite wrestlers-turned-actors nonetheless. Hello, lady!
14. Kevin Nash
As a founding member of The nWo, Kevin Nash helped define World Championship Wrestling’s most successful era. Whether performing as Diesel, Vinnie Vegas, or under his own name, Nash’s towering 6’11 frame was backed by his cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor. Both assets would be put to good use in his acting career.
Nash’s first on-screen role was behind a mask, serving as the ooze-enhanced “Super Shredder” in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. But2004’s underrated pre-MCU The Punisher gave Nash his first chance to show off his subtle comedy chops. As The Russian, Nash gave Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) his biggest challenge of the film, nearly killing the iconic anti-hero in an extended fight scene that ends with him meeting his demise via… a pot of boiling pasta. Nash also has the rare distinction of being one of the few henchmen to survive a John Wick film.
Charmingly, though, the Magic Mike films best illustrate Nash’s enduring appeal as a comedic actor. As Tarzan, Nash carved a niche for himself, pairing his size with an oddly cerebral stage presence—and more than compensating for the fact that he was by far the worst dancer of the bunch.No other wrestler has managed to turn so many bit roles into memorable characters.
13. Jesse Ventura
As Blain in 1987 action gorefest Predator, future Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura delivered among the gnarliest macho lines in movie history: “I ain’t got time to bleed.”
Outside that film, Ventura also had parts in Demolition Man, The Master of Disguise, and The Running Ma: a wide-ranging filmography that demonstrated his manic in-ring tendencies.
12. The Great Khali
The Longest Yard remake was a veritable smorgasbord of unlikely talent. Adam Sandler. Nelly. Burt Reynolds (may he forever RIP). Chris Rock. Joey “Coco ” Diaz. And then you had The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) as Turley, a 7-foot-1 unit of a man in solitary confinement. To drive the point of his menace home, Turley is introduced while repeatedly slamming his head on the wall of his cell. Does it make sense? Not really, but who is going to question a man of that magnitude?
Dalip learned English during the filming of The Longest Yard, evidenced by the fact most of his dialogue is subtitled. But he shows real ability. “I’m glad you are back. Now I don’t have to stab you” is one of the film’s funniest lines. Dalip didn’t stop there, though, scoring turns in Get Smart and MacGruber as well.
11. Adam Copeland/Edge
As a wrestler, Copeland possessed one of the most complete skillsets of his generation, a gifted talker who could carry Smackdown with a promo and headline Wrestlemania to boot. A career in acting seemed like a foregone conclusion, but Copeland’s acting portfolio serves as a striking example of the difficulties in translating in-ring prowess to the screen.
The Canadian wrestler found early roles in sci-fi shows like Sanctuary and Haven, and played Kjetill Flatnose on the final two seasons of the hit History Channel series Vikings. He snagged the lead role in
2020’s Money Plane, a low-budget thriller with a supporting cast that included Kelsey Grammer, Denise Richards, and Thomas Jane. Money Plane could have easily been Sharknado meets Con Air, an over-the-top dumpster fire of absurdity. It might have been too, if not for Copeland’s wet noodle of a performance.
For one of the most charismatic wrestlers of the 21st century, Copeland has yet to demonstrate any staying power as a leading man. With Edge making his return to the ring in 2020, it looks like his acting career is on hiatus for the foreseeable future. Not the worst idea.
10. Goldberg
The Longest Yard may have broken a record for wrestlers in a cast, with Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Great Khali, Kevin Nash, and Bill Goldberg all making appearances. Goldberg’s inclusion actually makes sense from a non-wrestling standpoint: he played defensive tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs, and played briefly in the NFL. He also had roles on TV, most notably on The Goldbergs (sometimes a casting decision just makes sense). For all you horror geeks, he also appears as a homicidal Santa Claus in the cult flick Santa’s Slay.
9. Diamond Dallas Page
Wrestlers in horror films aren’t anything new, but Diamond Dallas Page’s turn as Billy Ray Snapper in The Devil’s Rejects is an especially memorable turn. He plays a bounty hunter, partnered with Danny Trejo. The two are absolutely maniacal in the film, and would team up again in the direct-to-video-movie-that-totally- exists Vengeance. Interestingly, DDP also appeared in scenes deleted fromThe 40-Year-Old Virgin and Rat Race.
8. Triple H
Aside from a few roles—an uncredited appearance alongside former Evolution stablemate Dave Bautista in the Danny DeVito-helmed Relative Strangers; a role as a vampire bodyguard in Blade: Trinity—Triple H cast his Hollywood aspirations aside until 2011, when he led two WWE Studio films. The first, The Chaperone, saw Triple H paired with Modern Family’s Ariel Winters in a movie strikingly indebted to Dwayne Johnson’s family-friendly comedies. The second, Inside Out, was a crime thriller with serviceable performances from Michael Rapaport, Bruce Dern, and Parker Posey—and a clumsy showing from Triple H in the lead role quicklyFor a performer who created a powerful anti-hero persona as part of Degeneration-X, Triple H never attempted to channel that energy in any of his acting roles. Perhaps acting just isn’t the right match for The Game.
7. Chyna
Before her untimely death in 2016, Chyna had pulled together a serious acting resume. She starred as police officer Janice in two episodes of Third Rock From the Sun, and appeared on Celebrity Deathmatch, The Anna Nicole Show, and The Surreal Life. She also was a finalist on an episode of Fear Factor. And she showed serious ability in her roles! Take this scene from 3rd Rock From the Sun: Sally vs Chyna 3rd Rock from the Sun – YouTube. Chyna completely flips the script, delivering raw emotion instead of piledrivers.
6. Jericho
Non-wrestling fans may know him from his stint on VH1’s *I Love The…*series. Sadly, we never got to see Jericho throw Mo Rocca or Michael Ian Black off a steel cage, but there’s always time for reboots! Give us what we want!
5. Randy Savage
Macho Man Randy Savage didn’t have a ton of film and acting credits to his name, but his appearance in the first of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies is iconic. In just a few minutes of screen time, he was able to effectively deliver the cinematic equivalent of a flying elbow—an iconic moment that lingers almost two decades later. “Bone Saw is ready!”
4. John Cena
Cena’s entry into Hollywood came via typical WWE Studios fare, but surprisingly successful turns in comedies like Trainwreck and Blockers made the case for Cena as a genuine star. 2021 has been another big year: he appeared in F9 as Dom’s brother, and then as Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad. F9 is solid work, but Peacemaker seems to be the best-realized version of Cena’s skill set, allowing for strength and humor in equal measure. Keep an eye out for his HBO Max series starring the character.
3. Roddy Piper
Roddy may be one of the most under-the-radar entries on this list, but he’s got the goods to back it up. His turn as John Nada in John Carpenter’s They Live is an all-timer. His fight with Keith David was parodied in South Park! And no one could deliver a line like “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubblegum” with the same gravitas.Piper even went full method before his death in 2015, appearing as disgruntled wrestler Da’Maniac in two episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. “As for the $15 copay, you can eat shit and die!” cemented him as a great bit player.
2. Dave Bautista
In the aughts, one road to stardom for a lot of wrestlers was to play a heavy on a CW series. This is where Dave Bautista got his start, playing a villain in one of Smallville’s later seasons. He immediately made his presence felt, but his acting chops needed a bit of work—something he’s freely admitted. The dedication paid off, resulting in a genuinely surprising run of performances in Guardians of the Galaxy, Spectre, and Blade Runner 2049. Working with prestigious directors like James Gunn, Denis Villeneuve, and Sam Mendes, he’s managed to become a real chameleon: his inherent physicality is always part of those roles, but never the defining factor. Bautista has come a long way since Smallville, certifying his bonafides and proving he’s got the range—all the while bucking expectations and cementing himself as the finest character actor WWE has produced.
1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The way Johnson cut promos in his heyday showed a natural charisma well-suited to Hollywood stardom. It took a while — and a few Mummy movies—for Johnson to break through, but his impressive turn in underrated The Rundown served as the official announcement he’d arrived. His turns in the Fast and Furious franchise helped to revitalize the series as it threatened to stall out. (There’s a reason Johnson calls himself “franchise viagra”).
He’s accomplished plenty, but his biggest task still lies ahead, when he’ll introduce the world to DC Comics’ cult anti-hero Black Adam. But if there’s anyone up to the challenge, it’s The Rock.