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Sports entertainment and the movie industry have quite a bit in common, much more than most people might suspect. Both require a certain amount of charisma to succeed in, and talent is, of course, a must as well.
Also, a superstar presence and good looks certainly don't hurt!
The list of pro wrestlers who have made the jump from the ring to film is more extensive than you might think. One of the first major wrestling stars to become an actor was none other than the legendary El Santo from Mexico. El Santo starred in movies as himself, and in case you were wondering, no, he never removed his mask. El Santo made over thirty different films such as El Santo vs. the Vampire.
Many fans know of Hulk Hogan's less than illustrious film career, and Rowdy Roddy Piper actually starred in many more films--and Hot Rod's movies were greeted with more critical acclaim to boot, such as the cult classic They Live by John Carpenter.
Dave Bautista is well known from Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Rock is a mainstream movie star with dozens of films to his credit.
But what about other wrestling stars? Surely some of them will be able to make the transition as well. Here are ten wrestling superstars who would make great movie actors.
Potential Movie Star #1: Drew McIntyre.
Drew McIntyre cut his teeth on the British and independent scenes in 2001, but it was his debut with the WWE in 2007 which made him recognizable to wrestling fans.
In a very rare instance--indeed, the ONLY time it has ever happened--Vince McMahon himself stood in the ring with Drew McIntyre and proclaimed the towering Scot would one day be WWE World Champion (this happened before the Universal and WWE Championship had been created).
Drew had some impressive wins over veteran talent like Matt Hardy, but then seemed to fizzle out. He would join the comedy trio 3MB before being released by the company.
Instead of becoming bitter, Drew saw his firing as a challenge. He rededicated himself to pro wrestling and carved out a name for himself on the indie scene and in TNA. Drew was welcomed back to the WWE and became NXT champion in rapid succession. Now on the main roster, he is a two-time WWE champion and has been in the main event scene for almost two years.
Why he would be a good actor: First and foremost, Drew's massive build would make him ideal for a Terminator or Conan the Barbarian type role. He also has impressive charisma, and is handsome enough for women to swoon over.
Add his Scottish accent into the mix and we have ourselves a complete package.
Potential Movie Star #2: Bayley
A lifelong pro wrestling fan, Bayley began her training for the ring fresh out of high school for Major League Wrestling in 2008. She would work the independent scene for four years before signing with WWE in 2012.
Bayley's hugger persona proved to be a big hit, and she defeated top tier talents such as Sasha Banks and Charlotte on her way to becoming NXT champion.
Bayley joined the main roster after losing her title to Asuka and became Raw Women's champion in 2016. She formed the Boss N Hug connection with Sasha Banks and the duo were crowned the first women's tag team champions of the modern era.
Bailey then underwent a heel turn that allowed her to win the Smackdown women's title and she is currently a strong singles competitor.
Why she would be a good actor: Bayley is lovely, yet approachable, which would make her an ideal lead in a romantic comedy. And if she were in an action movie, she could probably perform many of her own stunts.
Potential Movie Star #3: Big E
Big E was always a gifted athlete. He played college football for one season before an injury forced him to quit.
After graduation, he turned his attention to powerlifting, a sport in which he earned distinctions. He was a few pounds short of the deadlift record set by fellow WWE talent Mark Henry and has been known to bench press over five hundred pounds.
Big E signed with the WWE and joined Florida Championship Wrestling, which eventually transitioned into NXT. He was able to capture the NXT championship, defeating no less than Seth Rollins for the strap.
Big E joined the main roster and quickly claimed the Intercontinental championship for himself. He has also been a multi-time tag team champion as part of the New Day stable.
Why he would make a good actor: While Big E's powerful body might stand out, it's actually his sunny personality and winning smile that really make him an ideal choice for a Hollywood career.
Nobody in the current locker room can deliver as many facial expressions as Big E can.
Potential Movie Star #4: Luke Harper
Luke Harper recently passed away due to lung related complications. But his fabled WWE career and trademark expressions made him an ideal fit for our top ten list.
Harper had an unusual start to his pro wrestling career. He started out as a backyard wrestler, and his name was Huberboy #2 if you can believe that.
He would eventually receive more formal training for the ring, and distinguished himself in the Chikara promotion. Luke developed a reputation for being able to keep up with the quickness of cruiserweights and luchadores, a huge plus when working on the independent scene.
He finally made it to the big leagues in 2012 when he joined WWE's NXT brand and was kept with the Wyatt family when the group made their main roster debut. Luke Harper is a former Intercontinental and tag team champion and a potential world champion.
Why he would be a good actor: While we could'nt imagine Luke Harper being the dashing leading man, he would have made a great villain for a horror/slasher film. He could also have played any type of redneck right out of the box, probably in his street clothes.
Potential Movie Star #5: Ricochet
Ricochet may have only come on the radar of many wrestling fans in recent years, but he has been plugging away and honing his craft since 2002.
Ricochet made his first big break by appearing on Lucha Underground using the ring name Prince Puma. His uncanny agility and awesome speed were more than a match for his competition there, and his appearances led to bigger and better things.
He signed with NXT in 2018, to the great joy of many, and was bundled almost immediately into a feud with Velveteen Dream which led to a highly rated match at Takeover. He is already an NXT North American champion, and the future looks bright indeed for the 188-pound superstar.
Why he would make a good actor: Ricochet is the right size and build for a Hollywood heartthrob, and his handsome features and personality also make him stand out.
He can also perform his own stunts without a body double and give the best of Hollywood a run for their money.
Potential Movie Star #6: Mandy Rose
Mandy Rose was signed for the 2015 season of WWE's Tough Enough program, a mix of a reality show and wrestling that saw her make it all the way to second place. Despite her not winning the competition, WWE was impressed enough that she was signed to a five-year contract.
Rose trained for the ring and made her televised debut in a loss to Ember Moon on the NXT brand. She was quickly elevated to the main roster and joined Paige's ill-fated Absolution stable along with Sonya Deville. Though Paige was forced to retire from the in-ring competition, Deville and Rose continued to team together as Fire and Desire.
Rose has since changed allegiances and currently teams up with Dana Brooke.
Why she would make a good actor: Mandy is a stunning woman, and has a presence that translates well to the screen. One could easily see her as the foil in a romantic comedy.
She also boasts of a physique that many can only hope for and it may help her gain action movie roles as well.
Potential Movie Star #7: Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman began his career as a strong man competitor, competing in the Arnold Amateur Strongman classic. While the biggest finish he ever had was fifth place overall, he would still be impressive enough to get on the WWE's radar, having scouted him at a competition.
Braun joined the developmental league of NXT but rarely wrestled on television while he completed his training. He made his main roster debut as the black sheep of the Wyatt family and quickly distinguished himself due to--what else?--his massive size and strength.
Braun has been a tag team champion and is also a one-time WWE universal champion. He has developed a reputation for flipping over and destroying vehicles, and now there is even an action figure playset that allows fans to relive these moments.
Why he would make a good actor: It's hard to imagine Braun as a romantic or even heroic lead, but he would make a great villain for a Marvel or DC movie. Slap a mask on him and you have a Bane that would make the caped crusader wet his tights!
Potential Movie Star #8: Kenny Omega
The Best Bout Machine has already had an impressive pro wrestling career, becoming one of the few Western superstars to capture the coveted and prestigious IWGP heavyweight championship of the New Japan pro wrestling promotion.
He also had his rematch with Rainmaker Okada rated at seven stars by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and made headlines around the world when many speculated he would sign with the WWE. Omega instead made the decision to sign with the fledgling AEW promotion and is making the most of his time there, dominating proceedings.
Why he would be a good actor: Kenny Omega is ripped but put him in street clothes and he could be a leading man with ease. If you've seen his antics as part of the Golden Lovers, you know he can also act quite well--many fans believed he truly was in a relationship with his tag team partner.
Omega is as versatile as they come and that adds to his CV to land up to just about any relevant role.
Potential Movie Star #9: Ember Moon
Ember Moon began her career back in 2007, trained by the legendary WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. Huffman.
For the next eight years, Ember Moon competed all over the world for promotions such as Shimmer, and made a one-off appearance for Ring of Honor, losing to Ms Chif.
Moon would get her big break when she joined the NXT brand of WWE, and she was quickly moved up the ranks to challenge Asuka for the NXT women's championship. Unlike other superstars, Asuka actually had to cheat in order to defeat Ember Moon, a point which Moon called her out on.
Moon would capture the NXT women's championship before moving up to the main roster, where she has yet to taste gold.
Why she would be a good actor: Ember Moon could probably perform all her own stunts, and already looks like an otherworldly creature. She could easily play a vampire or another haunting character.
Supernatural movies are a dime a dozen in Hollywood and Moon could capitalize on this.
Potential Movie Star #10: Adam Cole
Adam Cole got his start in the Combat Zone Wrestling promotion, a place where thumbtacks and broken tables are a mainstay, but he tended to use a more scientific wrestling style with some stiff striking mixed in.
Cole would sign with the Ring of Honor promotion and form a successful tag team with his long time Undisputed Era teammate Kyle O'Reilly, calling themselves Future Shock. Cole also wrestled for the New Japan Pro Wrestling company and even spent some time as the leader of the popular Bullet Club faction.
Adam Cole made it to the big leagues when he signed with WWE and was placed in the NXT brand. Though technically a heel, he still gets the lion's share of cheers whenever he wrestles, and fans join in enthusiastically when he raises his arms in the air and shouts "Adam Cole, Bay bay!"
Why he would be a good actor: Ask anyone and they'll tell you; being a successful actor requires good timing, and Cole has phenomenal timing--especially when using his dreaded superkicks. Add in the fact that he's roguishly handsome and you have a no-brainer.
There you have it; Ten wrestling superstars who could be potential movie stars. Questions or comments? Please leave them below and as always thanks for reading!
