15 AEW stars who acted in Movies or TV shows

AEW may be the latest addition to the TNT lineup and competition for the WWE, but its roster has come from all walks of life. Several of them have been in other forms of media like reality shows, TV dramas, comedies, and films.

Of course, not everyone can be like The Rock, who has set the gold standard for wrestlers to cross over, followed closely by Batista and John Cena. Considering that AEW is part of Warner Media and recently merged with Discovery, it's pretty logical that we'll see some crossovers happening.

With that said, some AEW stars have already featured in several films, prime-time television shows, and streaming platforms. Here are 15 AEW stars who have appeared in TV shows and movies.

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#15 Chris Jericho (AEW wrestler)

AEW's first-ever World Heavyweight Champion has quite the acting resume. His band Fozzy is well-known for creating records outside the ring. But his appearances in Dancing with the Stars and other similar reality shows led to various opportunities.

Of course, Jericho was in an extended cameo with other WWE Superstars in MacGruber. But Jericho's most significant role came in 2019's Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.

Director Kevin Smith cast him in a small but standout role as a KKK member who led his band of 'white sheet' in burning some of the main characters. Of course, Jericho and the rest of the Klan get their comeuppance after being doused in human excrement.

While Jericho may not be headlining big films, these small cameos in movies and TV shows have allowed him to grow as an artist. He also serves as the narrator of Dark Side of the Ring and will feature in another Kevin Smith film called Killroy Was Here.

#14 Jim Ross (AEW commentator and senior advisor)

AEW's Jim Ross has a few acting credits to his name. The definitive voice of WWE Monday Night Raw had a small cameo in the film Man on the Moon. The film also starred his partner, Jerry Lawler, playing himself.

Starring Jim Carrey, the film is about the life of famed comedian Andy Kaufman. The latter had a worked feud with Lawler, which transpired in the middle of the ring. If you blink, you will catch Ross sitting on commentary.

The AEW Dynamite commentator recently starred in a couple of episodes on Paradise City. Ross may not be a wrestler, but he's a bonafide star of the industry.

#13 Christian Cage (AEW wrestler)

Christian Cage, who returned to wrestling full time in AEW, may not be the first name that comes to mind concerning acting. While his former tag team partner Edge enjoyed Vikings and Money Plane roles, Christian's acting credits are minimal but significant.

His IMDB page states he was in Shoot Em' Up in 2007 as an extra. He also reunited with Edge on Syfy's Haven. Though, it would be interesting to know if they did do a 5-second pose on set.

#12 Dustin Rhodes (AEW wrestler/mentor)

As a professional wrestler, Dustin Rhodes is enjoying his 'last ride' in AEW. In some ways, it's surprising that Rhodes has never featured in more acting roles before. His ability to evolve and adapt to his surroundings suggests an awareness that is a primary instinct for a good actor.

Rhodes has done a few films over the last decade, and his most recent turn was Copper Bill. According to him, this was his best acting to date.

"Copper Bill was a lot of fun. I think that's properly my best acting to date in my four films. I really had a lot of verbiage in the movie and a lot of script stuff - and I really got it into one specific character, which you'll see," Rhodes said.

It'll be interesting to see where the man once known as Goldust goes from here.

#11 Mark Henry (AEW commentator)

Mark Henry may not be the first name that comes to mind regarding acting, but his most famous role was in MacGruber. In a cameo, he and other WWE Superstars like The Great Khali, Kane, Chris Jericho, and MVP were blown up by accident.

Mark Henry enjoys his current role in AEW as a backstage interviewer and commentator. It will be interesting to see what projects he has in the future.

#10 Sting (AEW wrestler)

Sting's return to pro wrestling in AEW has been a revelation. Many thought Sting's career was over after suffering a neck injury during a match with Seth Rollins. While his in-ring return has been protected and used sparingly in cinematic and tag team matches, it's still remarkable the 62-year-old still puts on a show.

While Sting was Mr. WCW and a legend in professional wrestling, he enjoyed some success on the small screen, appearing in such shows as Super Force, Thunder in Paradise, and Walker, Texas Ranger. He played himself in the infamous Ready to Rumble.

#9 Billy Gunn (AEW wrestler/coach)

Billy Gunn is a living legend that AEW has used to good effect. The multi-time WWE Tag Team Champion serves as a backstage producer/coach while still wrestling and managing his sons in The Gunn Club.

Gunn has not necessarily been an actor or tried to act outside the confines of WWE. There was, though, a guest appearance on Sabrina the Teenage Witch back in 2000. Gunn played the father of the bride as Sabrina is forced to wrestle him to complete the wedding.

While the episode has nothing remarkable, it does point to how popular WWE was, with wrestlers appearing on major television shows in that period.

#8 Matt Hardy (AEW wrest)

Matt Hardy, the leader of Hardy Family Office, has only acted once in his career. While he and Jeff Hardy wrestled each other on That 70's Show, that was not necessarily acting.

Considering that Big Money Matt is one of the more creative forces in wrestling, it's surprising that he has not acted more often. One of his most memorable 'acting' escapades appeared as "Matt' on an episode of Scare Tactics. Technically it was a candid camera reality show where the 'victim' was set up to be scared by a friend or family member in various scenarios.

Matt Hardy interestingly references his real-life issues regarding Edge and Lita and then proceeds to go on a murderous rage. Considering how over-the-top Hardy is in these scenes, it's no wonder that he could create larger-than-life characters.

#7 Christopher Daniels (AEW wrestler/Head of Talent Relations)

AEW's Head of Talent Relations, Christopher Daniels, has never really been in the acting game. Most of Daniels' career has been spent in squared circles across WWE, WCW, AEW, and Impact Wrestling/TNA. But a deep dive into his IMDB page reveals some surprises.

Daniels has appeared in The Rage: Carrie 2, an episode of The Practice, GLOW as muscular wrestler #1, and even as a referee in a wrestling-themed episode of the Netflix series, Love. Indeed, The Fallen Angel had small but substantial roles.

#6 Chavo Guerrero Jr. (AEW wrestler)

Considering how things went last time, Chavo Guerrero Jr. may or may not be the "executive consultant" for Andrade El Idolo in AEW. However, Guerrero is no stranger to acting. His acting career goes back to 1996, appearing in a small role in Red Shoe Diaries. He appeared as Chico Guapo in GLOW.

He's been listed as a fight/stunt/wrestling coordinator on GLOW, Love, Lethal Weapon, Peppermint, Young Rock, and even Heels. While Chavo may not be tearing things in front of the camera, his behind-the-scenes role seems to be increasing every year in Hollywood.

#5 Colt Cabana (AEW wrestler)

A member of AEW's Dark Order and all-around personality, Colt Cabana has been on the wrestling scene for years. His approach to the wrestling business as an independent wrestler laid the blueprint for others like The Young Bucks to thrive. Moreover, his love of comedic wrestling has always been on display.

With that said, he landed a guest appearance on Chicago Fire. The episode was a 3-parter that crossed over with its sister shows, Chicago PD and Chicago Med.

Cabana is a man of many talents, and acting in a Dick Wolf series is now one of them.

#4 Jon Moxley (AEW wrestler)

Jon Moxley may be cracking skulls across New Japan and AEW, but he has acted before. The bonafide wrestler starred in the WWE-produced film 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown. Recently, he starred in a movie called Cagefighter as an MMA fighter.

Last year, he was scheduled to work on a film with his friend Nick Mondo, but COVID derailed any hopes of the project getting underway.

While Moxley's movie career may have stalled, his rampage across AEW is still very much in play.

#3 Paul Wight (AEW wrestler/commentator)

Out of everyone on this list, Paul Wight has the most extensive resume on the entire roster. The former WWE superstar's acting career goes back to 1996, appearing in Jingle All the Way, The Waterboy, Knucklehead, and MacGruber.

He has appeared in several TV series such as Star Trek: Enterprise, Happy, Psych, Van Helsing, Royal Pains, and Mr. Iglesias. Paul even starred in his own Netflix series, The Big Show Show, based on a fictionalized version of himself, which didn't last more than one season.

Paul Wight is still wrestling these days, but there's no telling what other roles Wight has in his future.

#2 Cody Rhodes (AEW wrestler/Executive Vice President)

AEW's Executive Vice President may not have a film credit to his name, but he has undoubtedly been in quite a few guest spots on TV. Cody Rhodes has appeared on shows like Warehouse 13 and portrayed a recurring villain, Derek inmpson, on Arrow. He is currently a judge on The Go Big Show on TBS.

Of course, the stint on Arrow has led to a real-life friendship with Stephen Amell and led to a match at SummerSlam. It's unclear whether becoming a full-time actor is in Cody's future, though he said one of his original plans was to become an actor before breaking into wrestling.

"My idea was to be in entertainment anyway. I wanted to go to L.A. and become a famous actor. This was my legit plan. I figured if I were famous, they would have to take me. Fast-forward to now, and it's funny because I'm one of the bigger guys in the business as far as physicality. It's hilarious," Rhodes said.

Considering that Cody occupies a prominent spot in AEW, it seems that it will most likely be his priority in the years to come.

#1 CM Punk (AEW wrestler)

CM Punk returning to pro-wrestling was one of the highlights of AEW in 2021. While he only had two matches since his return to wrestling, fans are thrilled to see him back. While Punk was not wrestling, he focused on acting alongside his UFC exploits.

In 2019, he starred in his first major film, a horror film called Girl on the Third Floor, garnering praise from critics comparing his performance to Bruce Campbell. Punk later had supporting turns in a couple of horror films entitled Rabid and Jakob's Wife.

Right before his AEW debut, CM Punk guest-starred in an episode of Heels, garnering praises. Based around a small town wrestling federation, Punk appears as an Independent Wrestling Icon Ricky Rabies.

The star of the show, Stephen Amell, jokingly took credit for sparking Punk's wrestling return and eventual debut in AEW. Punk has said in interviews that he wants to follow in the footsteps of Batista.

At 42, Punk still has a chance of making it to Hollywood long after his wrestling career winds down. While his AEW run is just getting started, there's no telling what the future holds.