Michael Jordan – Space Jam (1996)
Regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, NBA legend Michael Jordan teamed up with Warner Bros royalty including Bugs Bunny in the 1996 smash hit Space Jam. Taking on Swackhammer’s (Danny DeVito) team of bruisers the Monstars, Jordan helps Bugs and co win their freedom from amusement park planet Moron Mountain.
OJ Simpson – the Naked Gun Trilogy
OJ ‘The Juice’ Simpson was already an aspiring actor before signing up with the Buffalo Bills NFL franchise. The Heisman Trophy-winning running back would leave the gridiron behind, however, and star in his most iconic role as Detective Norberg, hapless former partner of Lesley Neilson’s Lt Drebin in the 80s hit trilogy series The Naked Gun.
Hulk Hogan – Rocky III (1982)
80s and 90s wrestling megastar Terry ‘Hulk Hogan’ Bollea made quite the impact on movie screens as the flamboyant ‘Thunderlips’ in Sylvester Stallone’s third instalment of the classic Rocky franchise. He takes on Rocky in a charity boxing event, in what Thunderlips describes as a battle of the ultimate male versus the ultimate meatball.
‘Iron’ Mike Tyson – The Hangover (2009)
While better known for biting off a part of his opponent’s ear rather than acting, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson certainly left an impression on movie-goers after appearing in 2009 comedy hit The Hangover. In a now iconic and hilarious scene, the former boxing world heavyweight champion performed a quite unique rendition of Phil Collins 1981 hit In the Air Tonight.
John Matuszak – The Goonies (1985)
Oakland Raider defensive end John Matuszak left the NFL behind and initially found bit part acting roles in TV dramas and comedies; this was until he landed the part of one of movies’ most iconic characters, Sloth, from the 1985 classic The Goonies. Such an iconic role proved difficult to top, and subsequently the remainder of Matuszak’s acting career saw his return to roles on the small screen.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Airplane! (1980)
The NBA’s all time leading points scorer went onto to make quite the impact in Hollywood, too. Staring in Fletch in 1985 and recently making a cameo in Netflix’s 2022 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Abdul-Jabbar is perhaps still most fondly remembered for his role in 80s spoof comedy Airplane!, where he starred as co-pilot Roger Murdock.
Vinnie Jones – Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
A noted tough man on the soccer field with Wimbledon FC in the 80s and 90s, Vinnie Jones’ made his first foray into the world of acting came with director Guy Ritchie’s 1998 comedy crime hit Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Jones portrayed mobster Big Chris, and his work in the movie garnered critical acclaim, winning him a 1999 Empire Award for best newcomer.
Jim Brown – The Running Man (1987)
Though he already had an impressive back catalogue of classic movies behind him such as 1964 western Rio Conchos and 1967 WWII action hit The Dirty Dozen, it was The Running Man that introduced the former Cleveland Browns fullback Jim Brown, widely regarded as the best NFL player of all time, to a whole new audience. A revered civil rights activist, Brown passed away in May of 2023.
Ronda Rousey – Furious 7 (2015)
Showing she knows how to land a blow at the box office as well as in the octagon, former UFC Women’s Champion Ronda ‘Rowdy’ Rousey hit it big time in 2015 with the seventh Fast & Furious movie. Previously appearing in The Expendables 3, Rousey went on to appear in Elizabeth Banks 2019 reboot of Charlie’s Angels.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – The Mummy Returns (2001)
Thanks to his time as WWE’s top wrestling star, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson hit the ground running when he arrived in Hollywood, taking a prime role in The Mummy Returns and top billing in 2002’s The Scorpion King. Questionable CGI aside, these films propelled the former Miami Hurricanes prospect and Canadian Football League flop to box office dominance, with estimates now putting Johnson close to $14 billion in box office returns.
