Top 10 Wrestlers With Failed Acting Careers
#10: Rob Van Dam
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To Wrestling audiences, authenticity is often king. Over the years, superstars have talked about how the best characters are just themselves turned up to eleven, but many fans agree that with Rob Van Dam, what you see is what you get. The laid back martial artist has been known for the odd slip up in the wrestling world, but his acting career shares a couple of odd choices also. Who’s idea was it exactly to write a movie called 3 Headed Shark? Or how about doing a movie with Steven Seagall, but the two never get to do martial arts together? The tell-tale sign came in 2010, when RVD starred alongside Dave Batista in “the wrong side of town”. Batista went on to be an Avenger, and Van Dam…well, it seems like Van Dam’s doing ok after all. Each to their own, Rob.
#9: Kane
Nothing signifies a failed acting career more than retiring that career completely. One of the first big projects of WWE Studios was “See No Evil”. Their foray into the world of Horror as the WWE attempted to thrust Kane aside the likes of Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger. With his own weapon, screaming victims and a handful of convincing jumpscares, the stage was set to see if WWE could not just provide the stars, but their own script and production too. But one part of the movie making process you can’t forget, is promotion, which unfortunately, WWE maybe did a little too much of. With “See No Evil” hitting Theatres on May 19th, Kane’s WWE persona began to be obsessed by the date, going into a blind rage and chokeslamming anyone who mentioned it. While they later had Kane explain it’s links to his own backstory, many saw this as forced marketing, and the film failed to make waves outside of WWE circles. Kane eventually stepped away from the ring, not for the screen, but for the podium, becoming the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. So we’ve got President Cena to look forward to next, right?
#8: Kevin Nash
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Out of anyone on our list, the man known as Big Daddy Cool definitely has the strangest portfolio, and for that, you’ve gotta’ give him credit. Kevin Nash broke into acting with the role of Masked villain Super Shredder, in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. A wise move knowing wrestling fans cult love of comic books, and how big comic book culture is today. You rake in those residual checks, Kev. But did anybody see it coming when Nash found himself strripping off as one of the ensemble in Magic Mike, at the ripe old age of 53? To his credit, Nash looks better than any 53 year old I know, especially as he did it again at 56 for Magic Mike XXL. Nash still finds himself in cameo roles here and there, sporting an impressive Russian accent as Francis is John Wick, but despite having Channing Tatum in his phonebook, has yet to find his huge starring role. If he still looks that good at 63, I’m not counting him out just yet.
#7: Triple H
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OK, this one feels unfair to mention. Many were surprised when Triple H made his acting debut in “Blade: Trinity”, alongside A-Listers like Ryan Reynolds and Wesley Snipes. “The Game’s” appearance as Jarko Grimwood made for a lasting first impression, but it wasn’t until 2011 did Trips step back on set, and to say the vibe was different is an understatement. Now under the wing of WWE Studios, “The Chaperone” gave the Game a much more family friendly swing at the acting business, especially in contrast to the colourful language we heard in Blade 3. With WWE’s audience transitioning away from the PG era and Streaming not the juggernaut it is today, seeing the Multi-Time Skull-Wearing Champion now effectively babysitting on screen was somewhat of a left turn. Though the reason this feels unfair to mention is because of Triple H’s biggest priority, fatherhood, of another kind. Because during this time, Triple H found himself taking on his greatest challenge to date in running WWE development brand, NXT. His fathering the brand gave us the likes of Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Big E, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Charlotte and more, making an impact on the wrestling industry that’ll be felt around the world for decades. So yeah, as far as overall contributions are concerned, “failed careers” may definitely be a stretch.
#6: Kurt Angle
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Seeing an Actor getting typecast is nothing new. Whether it’s seeing Aubrey Plaza play a creepy weirdo or Emma Roberts playing a spoiled brat, seeing somebody boxed into a character never truly turns heads at the box office. But Wrestling fans have noticed a pattern as “The Olympic Hero” Kurt Angle has gone on a run of losing Hollywood fights. Kurt surprised many when he appeared in 2011’s “Warrior” alongside Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, playing “The Great” Koba, a Russian MMA Fighter who clashes with Edgerton’s character Brendan inside the Octogon. Knowing Angle’s ameteur background and stacked physique, seeing him in a physical role wasn’t the biggest surprise in the world, but unfortunately it was just the beginning for Kurt as he looked for a fictional win. Despite this sizeable role in Warrior, Angle found himself taking L’s in “Pain & Gain”, where former rival The Rock took him apart with a Barbell Plate, as well as 2013’s Wrestlers vs Zombies, where, you guessed it, Kurt ends up with red on him. Since then, Kurt has dipped in and out of projects but without anything consistent to his name. Sorry Kurt. I guess you can’t win ‘em all.
#5: Ric Flair
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Wrestling has always been described as the perfect blend of Acting and Athletics, but the term “Acting” has never been stretched as thinly as it is when applied to Ric Flair. “The 16 Time World Champion” has made an incredible extra curricular contribution, by repeatedly landing the role as none other, than Ric Flair. The Nature Boy made a cameo as himself in a 1996 episode of Baywatch, voiced himself in a cameo on “The Cleveland Show”, and since 2017, Flair has taken up the lucrative side hustle of playing yes, himself in a Hip Hop Music Videos, most notably alongside 21 Savage for his hit “Ric Flair Drip”. Though I’m sure he was paid handsomely, Flair finds himself on this list because you don’t win any Oscars for playing yourself. Sorry Naitch.
#4: Jesse Ventura
With arguably the strongest acting resume of anyone on our list, it’s truly mind boggling how Jesse Ventura isn’t a certified A-Lister right now. After all, who else gets to say they made their acting debut alongside Arnold Scwarzenegger in Predator? 1987 proved a great year for Ventura, following his buddy Arnie to give him a one on one as he played “Captain Freedom” in “The Running Man”. And with other credits to his name like Demolition Man and Batman & Robin, why is it we’re not seeing Jesse Ventura on billboards and latenight TV today? Well perhaps it’s his own doing as it seems the man formerly known as “The Body”, just can’t sit still. With five movies under his belt, he became the Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which kickstarted his political career that lasted over a decade. Ventura has since written books, investigated conspiracy theories and started a podcast, keeping his acting career dormant since 2014.
#3: Steve Austin
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Known to many as the embodiment of the 90s, Stone Cold Steve Austin is easily one of pop culture’s greatest badasses of all time. And knowing his shared history with The Rock, it’s truly a shocker this one didn’t prove to be more of a hit. Despite being one of the most beloved Wresters of all time, Stone Cold made his mark in the acting world as the racist bully, Guard Dunham in 2005’s “The Longest Yard”. With his incredibly tense scene shared with Rapper Nelly, making wrestling fans hopeful to see The Rattlesnake follow in the Rock’s footsteps. And if rubbing shoulders with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock wasn’t enough, Austin hit the IMDB Jackpot in 2010 with his role as antagonist Dan Paine in “The Expendables”. Surely any actor looking to become Hollywood’s next great action star would kill to rub shoulders with Sylvestor Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li and more, right? But unfortunately it’s when Austin works solo does the money stop rolling in, as eight of his last ten feature films have gone direct to video. Though with the success of Steve’s podcast, and his own IPA, somehow I don’t think Stone Cold minds having to skip the Oscars. We’re just glad you’re happy, Steve.
#2: Goldberg
Harry Potter as a Rube Goldberg Machine
If there’s anything an actor doesn’t want to be known as, it’s “the strong and silent type”. For 173 weeks of WCW Television, Bill Goldberg would walk to the ring, spear, Jackhammer, 3 count, and walk right back to the locker room. So why did we think this man would suddenly start giving us Braveheart? When the likes of Batista or John Cena first broke into the acting world, they were initially shoe-horned in as “the big angry man”. This didn’t last long, as their natural comedic timing and acting chops expanded the kind of offers they got. Goldberg however, wasn’t so lucky. He played big angry Santa in Santa’s Slay, a big angry inmate in The Longest Yard and in Half Past Dead 2 he plays…uhhh….a big angry inmate, again. Weird. And while he had an enjoyable romp playing himself in the 2000 Wrestling Comedy “Ready to Rumble”, the storyline that came from it signalled the beginning of the end of Ted Turner’s wrestling dominance, as it featured Scream’s David Arquette becoming the legitimate WCW Champion. So yeah, not exactly the lasting memory you wanted ey Bill?
#1: Hulk Hogan
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When Dwayne Johnson was just a twinkle in his Fathers eye, Hulk Hogan was universally known as Wrestling’s biggest star. If anyone was going to make it in Hollywood, it would be Hollywood Hulk Hogan. After a memorable outing in Rocky 3 as “Thunderlips”, a Wrestling Champion who takes on Rocky in an exhibition bout, The Hulkster was well on his way to becoming Wrestlings first breakout star. But despite millions of Hulkamaniacs and being a part of one of 1982s Biggest Blockbusters, Hogan still had a long way down to fall. After shlocky performances in B-Movies like Mr Nanny and Suburban Commando, Hogan’s acting career wasn’t exactly on the best foot. But embarrassing testimonies in his 2012 Gawker lawsuit, as well as the leaking of his racist remarks in 2015, left Hogan’s acting career firmly down for the 3 count. At 68 years old, Hogan should be competing with your Michael Caine’s and Morgan Freemans of the world for the part of Grandfather or Retiring Detective, but instead, Hogan’s nowhere near the red carpet, and maybe that’s for the best.
