To succeed as a professional wrestler, one must have the prowess to withstand chair shots, body smashes, and cage matches.
However, one may also require the capacity to develop a memorable character that is blended with one’s personality and goes beyond the wrestling ring.
The best wrestlers in history have also proved themselves to be the best entertainers. Somehow, professional wrestling also belongs to the entertainment industry.
Since wrestling and acting are closely related, many wrestlers try their best in the realm of acting.
Surprisingly, professional wrestlers have become even more fortunate and successful after stepping into Hollywood.
So, without further ado, let’s get into the list of the top 10 wrestlers who are now full-time actors.
10) Goldberg
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| Full Name | William Scott Goldberg |
| Birthdate | December 27, 1966 |
| Wrestling Debut | June 23, 1997 |
William Scott Goldberg, aka Goldberg, was one of the most famous professional wrestling figures of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Goldberg decided to move to Hollywood to try his hands at acting, much like many professional wrestlers.
He appeared in ”The Longest Yard (2005)” as Joey “Battle” Battaglio, as the prison team’s linebacker. His favorite part he played was cut from the finished product; it ended up as an extra on the DVD release of “The Longest Yard.”
He said, “In the scene, I got a sack and took my helmet off to celebrate in the face of Knauer (William Fichter). As he was getting up, I headbutted him with my head while he was wearing his helmet, and I wasn’t. I nailed him and really staggered him. It looked great.“
He was also cast in ”American Satan (2017)” as Hawk and in ”Santa’s Slay (2005)” as Santa.
9) Diamond Dallas Page
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| Full Name | Page Joseph Falkinburg Jr. |
| Birthdate | April 5, 1956 |
| Wrestling Debut | 1988 |
It’s common for wrestlers to appear in horror movies, but Dallas’s portrayal in ”The Devil’s Rejects (2005)” as Billy Ray Snapper stands out in particular. The film won the 2006 Scream Award for Best Horror Movie.
Similarly, Dallas portrays a bounty hunter as Spider Benson alongside Danny Trejo as Jack Santos in the direct-to-video movie Vengeance (2014).
Interestingly, Diamond appeared in ”Rat Race (2001)” and ”The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005).” However, his scenes were deleted.
8) Triple H
| Full Name | Paul Michael Levesque |
| Birthdate | July 27, 1969 |
| Wrestling Debut | 1992 |
On number eight, we have Triple H, aka Paul Michael Levesque. He made a cameo appearance alongside fellow wrestler Dave Bautista in the 2006 indie comedy film Relative Strangers; however, their roles were not credited much.
In ”Blade: Trinity (2004),” Triple H plays a vampire named Jarko Grimwood. While the typical vampire is slim and creepy, Jarko is a large and bulky creature that could only be played by a professional wrestler.
Following that, Triple H put his Hollywood dreams on hold until 2011, when he featured in two WWE Studio movies.
In Stephen Herek’s action-comedy-family movie The Chaperone (2011), Triple H made his big-screen debut as Ray Bradstone, demonstrating his acting prowess.
The most unexpected thing is his chemistry with his co-star, seasoned actress Annabeth Gish (Lynne).
Likewise, Triple H appeared in Artie Mandelberg’s crime thriller, ”Inside Out” (2011) as AJ, aka Arlo Jayne.
Triple H has a compelling anti-hero persona but never attempted to channel his anti-hero persona into any of his acting roles.
7) Chyna
| Full Name | Joan Marie Laurer |
| Birthdate | December 27, 1969 |
| Wrestling Debut | 1995 |
Prior to Chyna’s untimely tragic demise on April 20, 2016, because of a drug overdose and alcohol intoxication, she had already built an impressive acting career portfolio.
TV shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), Pacific Blue (1996), The Nick Cannon Show (2002), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996), and Mad TV (1995) welcomed Chyan, aka Mamacita, as a guest star.
Chyna appeared in ”A Night at the Silent Movie Theater (2012)” as Sexy Drummer and Alien Tracker (2003) as Ree.
She made an appearance on VH1’s ”Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” TV series in 2008 to get past her inner demons and misery brought on into her life through her abusive relationship and traumatic childhood experiences.
In ”Sally vs. Chyna 3rd Rock from the Sun”, Chyna showcased her natural acting skill and delivered her honest emotions.
6) Chris Jericho
| Full Name | Christopher Keith Irvine |
| Birthdate | November 9, 1970 |
| Wrestling Debut | October 2, 1990 |
Chris Jericho cameoed as Burke in the most recent installment of the Art The Clown horror franchise, ”Terrifier 2 (2022),” which he landed after praising the original Terrifier film on his podcast, Talk is Jericho.
Terrifier 3 is his upcoming horror movie, which is under production.
5) Randy Savage
| Full Name | Randy Mario Poffo |
| Birthdate | November 15, 1952 |
| Wrestling Debut | 1973 |
Despite having few acting and cinematic credits, two-time WWE heavyweight title winner Randy Savage’s role as Bone Saw McGraw in Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man (2002) was legendary.
The Macho Man Randy Savage passed away on May 20, 2011, because of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Though he appeared on screen for only a few minutes, he pulled off the cinematic equivalent of a flying elbow, leaving an unforgettable impression.
Besides, Randy voiced Thug in the popular animated movie ”Bolt (2008)” and El Machismo in ”Cars Race-O-Rama (2009).”
4) John Cena
| Full Name | John Felix Anthony Cena |
| Birthdate | April 23, 1977 |
| Wrestling Debut | November 5, 1999[ |
John Cena made his Hollywood debut with standard WWE Studios fare. However, his unexpectedly remarkable performances in comedies such as ”Trainwreck (2015)’‘ as Steven and ”Blockers (2018)’‘ as Mitchell established him as a legitimate star.
In 2021, Cena made two dominant appearances: one in The Suicide Squad (2021) as a Peacemaker, and another was in Justin Lin-directed movie ‘‘F9: The Fast Saga (2021)’‘ as Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) brother Jakob.
John Cena was nominated for the Critics Choice Super Award for Best Actor in a Superhero Movie for his role as a Peacemaker in ‘‘The Suicide Squad (2021)”.
He was a 2022 nominee in the Kids’ Choice Awards, USA (Blimp Award) for the Favorite Movie Actor for his F9: The Fast Saga (2021) role.
Cena’s upcoming movie ”Die Hart: Die Harter’‘ is expected to be released in 2024. The other star cast of the movie includes comedian Kevin Hart as Kevin Hart, actor Ben Schwartz as Andre, and actress Nathalie Emmanuel as Jordan King
3) Roddy Piper
| Full Name | Roderick George Toombs |
| Birthdate | April 17, 1954 |
| Wrestling Debut | 2011 |
Roddy Piper, one of the biggest “bad guys” in the WWF during the early ’80s, possesses the credentials of being an actor.
He appeared in John Carpenter’s “They Live” (1988) as John Nada. In the movie, a construction worker, John Nada, discovers unique sunglasses that reveal the world as it truly is, with the media and government bombarding people with messages and aliens controlling the campaign.
Before his tragic passing in 2015, Piper appeared in two episodes (seasons 5 and 9) of the TV series ”It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” as a professional wrestler, Da’Maniac.
In the New Orleans Horror Film Festival, Roddy won the 2016 Jury Award for the best actor for playing the role of Jack in
Best Actor Portal to Hell!!! (2015).
2) Dave Bautista
| Full Name | David Michael Bautista Jr. |
| Birthdate | January 18, 1969 |
| Wrestling Debut | October 30, 1999 |
Dave Bautista debuted as a villain in one of the last seasons of the TV series ”Smallville” as Aldar. After “Smallville,” Bautista has proven his legitimacy and showcased his range.
He has gone a long way toward validating his credentials and demonstrating his range, defying all the pessimistic predictions and solidifying his status as the best character actor WWE has ever produced.
His hard work paid off, evidenced by his genuinely astounding string of roles in ”Blade Runner 2049 (2017)” as Sapper Morton, ”Spectre (2015)’‘ as Hinx, and as a Drax in ”Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)” and ”Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).” Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) are Oscar-nominated movies.
Dave has become a chameleon capable of justifying any character in the movie. He has collaborated with notable filmmakers, including James Gunn, Denis Villeneuve, and Sam Mendes.
Dave Bautista’s action-sports video game ”WWE 2K24 (2024)” was released in the USA on March 8, 2024.
1) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
| Full Name | Dwayne Douglas Johnson |
| Birthdate | May 2, 1972 |
| Wrestling Debut | March 10, 1996 |
Dwayne Johnson’s natural charisma is perfect for Hollywood stardom. Though it took some time, Johnson became well-known for his role as The Scorpion King in ”The Mummy Returns ” (2001). His remarkable performance was underappreciated in the movie ”The Rundown,” (2003) as Beck; however, this movie was the official declaration of Johnson’s arrival.
Dwayne’s cameos in the ”Fast and Furious trilogy” as Hobbs helped him bring new life to his acting career.
Fast Five (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), The Fate of the Furious (2017), and Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw (2019) are a few movies under the ”Fast and Furious trilogy” in which he starrs as Hobbs.
Furthermore, Black Adam is the beloved antihero of DC Comics.
Black Adam is an action-adventure fantasy movie in which Black Adam, after 5,000 years of being granted the Egyptian gods’ powers and imprisoned, is freed from his earthly tomb and ready to bring his unique form of justice to the modern world.
Dwayne’s most-awaited movie is ”Moana 2,” in which he is rumored to voice Maui (the demigod). It is under production and is expected to be released worldwide in 2024.
