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In recent years, several of WWE's biggest names have crossed over on to the big screen. The Rock is firmly established as one of the biggest - if not the biggest - players in Hollywood, while John Cena and Batista have also landed leading roles.
However, not every WWE Superstar cast in a movie is destined to be its leading attraction. For some, their appearance is simply a cameo, designed in some cases to help them gain formal acting experience. For others, the role might just be a fun diversion from the world of professional wrestling. In any case, fans seem to enjoy catching glimpses of WWE Superstars in this different environment.
For the purposes of this list, the more well-known names mentioned above will naturally be avoided, as will any appearances made by a Superstar in movies produced by WWE Studios (...feels like cheating!)
With that said, though, there are many WWE Superstars who have made lesser-known movie cameos for mainstream film studios. Here are 5 that might well surprise you.
#5 Edge - Highlander: Endgame (2000)
The WWE Hall of Famer might have a number of acting credits to his name today, but Edge made his cinematic debut way back in 2000. Just a few short years into his WWE career, the "Rated R Superstar" bagged the role of Lachlan in Highlander: Endgame.
Edge plays a thief who is outwitted by the movie's leading character Duncan MacLeod. A brief fight scene then ensues, but Lachlan is quickly defeated. In fact, wait until 1:50 in the video for... well, you'll see.
Edge's entire appearance only lasts a few minutes. However, it did set the table for the Canadian Superstar to have some further acting success. Following his 2011 retirement as an in-ring competitor for WWE, Edge was cast in recurring roles for TV series such as Haven and Vikings.
In a 2017 interview with SI.com, Edge commented on the major difference between wrestling and acting, revealing that it was strange for him to have to adjust to not working in a live environment:
“I loved that wrestling was live,” said Copeland. “You knew immediately whether it worked. The flip side of that in acting is that there are multiple takes to try multiple things, especially when a director asks you to play a scene in a different way. That’s an amazing process that you don’t have the chance to do in wrestling. Wrestling and acting are in the same tree, but on different branches. In wrestling, I was a perfectionist. I have more forgiveness for myself in acting, and it’s because we have multiple takes.”
With Edge recovering from a torn tricep after The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever with Randy Orton, it might be a while before he does either again.
#4 Paul Heyman (and Shane McMahon) - Rollerball (2002)
Paul Heyman has done it all in the professional wrestling business. The former ECW owner has had several stints on the WWE creative team, but has also been a photographer, an announcer, a manager and even an occasional in-ring competitor during his career.
It was as an announcer, though, that Heyman made it on to the big screen as part of the 2002 remake of science-fiction film Rollerball. The movie is based around an extreme version of roller derby, which is why producers felt that Heyman would be perfect for the role.
This being Paul Heyman, of course, there was naturally some controversy that came along with his appearance in the movie. Heyman shot his scenes for Rollerball in 2001, shortly after he first signed with WWE.
However, 2001 was also the year that ECW went out of business, leading to several accusations that Heyman had opted to go and shoot the movie whilst he should have been working to save his promotion. Heyman has always denied that this was the case, insisting that his scenes were shot after the demise of ECW - and that his participation in the project was approved by WWE.
Paul Heyman was not the only WWE personality featured in Rollerball
Heyman's tweet is backed up by the fact that he was briefly joined in the movie by WWE's Shane McMahon. Shane never utters a word on-screen, but his presence alone is certainly noteworthy.
#3 Sable - Corky Romano (2001)
Not only has Brock Lesnar's "advocate" made a little-known movie cameo, but so has his wife. Former WWE Women's Champion Sable left the company in 1999 following a dispute. However, she would return to WWE in 2003, where she met Lesnar.
During her time away from WWE, the then-Rena Mero played the role of a female bouncer in 2001 American mafia comedy Corky Romano. Sable's WWE past was incorparated as part of her cameo, as she drops an elbow from the top of a couch on to the movie's lead character.
The movie itself did not earn great reviews and Sable did no further acting work of note prior to her 2003 comeback to WWE. Her second stint with the company would end just a few months after Lesnar left WWE following Wrestlemania 20 in 2004.
Sable has made few public appearances since marrying Lesnar. She was last seen in a professional wrestling setting whilst accompanying her husband to the ring during his short-lived run with New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2007.
#2 The Big Show - Jingle All The Way (1996)
A multiple-time WWE Champion, The Big Show has had a lot of success, both in and out of the ring, during his career. The 48-year-old even has own self-titled sitcom, starring in "The Big Show Show" on Netflix this year.
Paul Wight's acting resume, however, dates back to 1996 - years before he debuted in WWE. One of his first parts saw him play the role of "Huge Santa" in the cinematic Christmas comedy Jingle All The Way. Wight was competing in WCW as The Giant at the time he filmed the movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger features in the lead role as a father desperate to obtain a Turbo-Man (the latest must-have toy) for his son (played by young Anakin Skywalker, Jake Lloyd) at Christmas.
Schwarzenegger's character, Howard Langston, unwittingly ends up at a counterfeit toy production warehouse in his search for a Turbo-Man. When Langston becomes aware that the toy he has been sold is not genuine, a fight soon breaks out between him and the warehouse workers - all of whom are dressed as Santa.
The brawl starts out well for Langston, as he easily deals with most of the workers. However, things take a turn for the worst when a much-larger Santa appears - in the shape of the now-WWE Superstar.
The slapstick fight which follows is quite entertaining and gives a glimpse of The Big Show's ability to play a engaging character - something which we have seen plenty of over the years in WWE.
#1 The Undertaker - Suburban Commando (1991)
Over the years, The Undertaker has been more protective of his character than any other Superstar in modern WWE history. "The Deadman" has notoriously shied away from outside projects, so it may surprise you to learn that the real-life Mark Calaway has a movie cameo to his name.
In the summer of 1990, though, the soon-to-be Undertaker was cast in Suburban Commando - a science-fiction comedy starring none other than WWE legend Hulk Hogan in the lead role of "Shep Ramsey". The Undertaker would debut for WWE a few months after filming the movie and was an established Superstar in the company by the time it was actually released.
In the film, 'Taker plays the part of an alien bounty hunter known as "Hutch" who is trying to track Shep down on Earth. Curiously, Undertaker's character has the voice of a young female.
It is fair to say that The Undertaker does not rate the movie highly. Speaking during a podcast appearance with Peter Rosenberg, Undertaker had some harsh words to say about Suburban Commando:
"They called me and said, 'Hogan is doing this movie in LA, we want you to read for it.' I read for the movie, got the part. Worst movie ever. It was awful. Truly, truly awful. But, that kept me busy for a while."
Suburban Commando might not be the sort of movie you need to watch more than once, but it is fascinating to see two of WWE's all-time best face off on the big screen.
