There is no more passionate and outspoken community on the web than the wrestling community. Cross-promotion between wrestling and other media is more common than it was 20 or so years ago. YouTube Giant Turned Into WWE Superstar Logan Paul surprised everyone with a convincing and exciting matchup against the undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns. The phenomenon of celebrities stepping into the square circle is no longer as rare as it once was.
It probably wouldn’t have been possible if the wrestlers hadn’t tried their luck on the silver screen many years ago. What performance became a breakthrough into the mainstream? Many Reddit users have asked this question.
10/10 ‘The Longest Yard’ (2004)
longest yard It’s a classic 1974 comedy about a famous American football player who goes to jail and is asked to assemble a team of inmates to challenge the prison guards to a match.
The film was re-shot in 2005 with Adam Sandler, and unfortunately it didn’t convey the same magic as the original. However, the use of WWE wrestlers at the time set him apart from his counterpart. u/Hillbillyjoker echoed this point, saying, “In Adam Sandler’s version of The Longest Yard, Kevin Nash, Steve Austin, The Great Khalias well as Goldberg. It’s more stupid and ridiculous, but it was okay.”
9/10 ‘GLOW’ (2017 - 2019)
The heightened drama of wrestling stories, which would not seem out of place on television, makes professional wrestling special. So it’s no surprise that Netflix’s GLOW has attracted passionate fans over the course of three seasons. Focusing on the promotion of women’s wrestling in the 1980s, their successes and failures in a male-dominated sport.
Kai “Amazing Kong” Stevens played by Tamma Dawson, who joins GLOW (Glamorous Ladies Of Wrestling) to help pay for her son’s medical school tuition. Tamme was only to be a recurring character in the second season; Kong’s surprisingly strong yet emotional performance was so good that Tamme starred in the third season, dealing with complex issues from parenthood to drug addiction. u/Jay_Shadow gave his opinion saying, “Kia Stevens aka Awesome Kong is on Netflix’s GLOW.”
8/10 “They Live” (1988)
Roddy Piper had a cult performance in John CarpenterX They liveis a sci-fi horror film with a satirical twist. Piper plays a drifter who stumbles upon supernatural sunglasses that reveal that the upper class are aliens hell-bent on controlling the masses.
Roddy Piper was one of the first and best actors to come out of WWE. u/spideyv91 wrote: “Piper is alive. I feel like he could be a really good actor if he stayed in the field.”
7/10 “Be Cool” (2005)
Rock (Dwayne Johnson) is the most recognizable star to cross over from the world of the WWE soap opera to the world of cinema. He had humble beginnings, from the meme-worthy computer monster who was the Scorpion King in the early 2000s to DC’s poster boy in Black Adam.
However, according to one Reddit user, the 2011 comedy be cool, where Dwayne plays an assassin who, ironically, is desperate to break into the movie business. On a Buzzfeed subreddit, referring to an article that lists 26 roles highlighting an underrated performance, u/Joepants said, “27. Dwayne Johnson as Elliot Wilhelm in ‘Be Cool’ because the list didn’t include that, it’s wrong.”
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6/10 “Suicide Squad” (2021) and “Peacemaker” (2022)
The original poster u/incorrect1012, who asked this question on Reddit, offered his opinion to help spark the conversation. He passionately put forward John Cenasaying, “John Cena is damn good as the Peacemaker to be turned down.”
John Cena made his debut as Peacekeeper in James GunnXSuicide Squad, where he immediately caught the attention of moviegoers who may not have been aware of his wrestling personality. The Peacemaker’s goal, essentially, is to make peace by any means necessary, which is not far from Mr. Sina’s motivational phrase: “Fuss, loyalty, respect.” No wonder John Cena is damn good.
5/10 “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005-)
The main comment was from u/SeniorBigBelly, who confidently said that Roddy Piper’s multi-episode cameo as a retired old wrestler who usually gives out parking tickets as gifts and gets upset over losing $15, “Yes Maniac” is “easy on all the time for him.”
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiain 11 seasons, he had many great cameos. Yes Maniac Piper is one of the best, he fits into the gang’s insane chemistry so well that he usually leaves them speechless with a funny but unsettling line. One-liners that won’t miss his famous WWE talk show “Pitt Piper”.
4/10 Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
User u/Hangman’s12Bucks stated that Batista’s small role in the sequel Ridley Scottclassical Blade Runner left an indelible mark on them: “Dave is a legitimately good actor. He really embodies a different character in every role.”
AT Blade Runner 2049, batista this is Sapper Morton, the “replicant” who was “fired” by the protagonist K.Ryan Gosling), whosets the events of the film in motion. Despite limited screen time, Batista delivered a restrained and nuanced performance that conveyed so much. This made him famous as a serious dramatic actor.
3/10 ‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
Who doesn’t love a good hero origin story? Spiderman the franchise has seen its share of them over the years. Tobey MaguireThe beginning of Spider-Man remained close to the comics for good reason, as it was the first big Spider-Man blockbuster. However, there was a surprise in his first fight: Peter Parker’s opponent was a wrestling legend. “Macho” Randy Savage like a bone saw.
u/SuperSaiyansub put forward their proposal and received a positive response, with u/TrainRider24-7 joking, “I agree, it was so nice of Randy to put the Spider guy in.” Bone saw him in a steel cage match that was violent and disturbing. Close the lining and drop him face first into the cage. Peter Parker’s first opponent left an indelible mark.
2/10 ‘Vikings’ (2013 - 2020)
When people think of wrestlers trading their gimmicks for the movie screen, John Cena and Batista usually come to mind (and they’re already on this list). Another iconic WWE superstar comes to mind and this is edge. After retiring in 2011, Edge entered the acting world, starting with roles in HOURAven and his most famous role to date, Vikings.
Edge takes on the role of the troubled Viking Kjetill, who settles in Iceland and slowly goes insane in his quest to avenge his family. Edge surprised and dazzled the audience with an angry, pastoral performance that perfected the Danish accent and culminated in a fantastical character. u/HannibalKrauger agreed, saying “Edge was great at Vikings.”
1/10 “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)
Batista’s many memorable roles are testament to his ability. In his most famous role to date, Batista plays Drax, an intergalactic warrior who goes on a bloody rampage after Thanos killed his wife and child. The Guardians of the Galaxy have joined in his quest for revenge.
Drax is a fan favorite due to his dry sense of humor, lack of social awareness, and complete lack of understanding of sarcasm. It’s fair to say that Batista wasn’t known for his comedic ability during his time with WWE. Then came a surprising surprise when his first big screen role as Drax was hilarious and cool. u/Ventura615 said “Batista killed him as Drax”, stating that Batista had “the best transition from wrestler to actor”.
Source: Collider
