Centerfield to Center Stage: The Most Memorable Athletes Turned Actors

Once you’ve been in an arena or stadium with thousands chanting your name and millions watching you from home, it’s hard to find a replacement for that feeling when it’s over. This is why so many athletes head into acting when their careers are over. Some even appear on the big screen while they’re still playing. With the new NFL season set to kickoff, let’s take a look at some of the most memorable athletes turned actors.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

The Rock is a former WWE champion who turned his in-ring charisma into movie star success. Yes, he’s been an action hero fighting bad guys, but he’s really found his niche in comedies where he plays against his tough guy physique.

LeBron James

LeBron has really just played comical, heightened versions of himself, so we haven’t seen him truly act yet, but it’s clear that’s where his post-basketball career is headed.

Shaquille O’Neal

Nowadays, Shaq is known for his hilarious NBA analysis on TNT and his countless commercials that we can’t get away from. However, there are no words to describe how bad he is in the 1996 movie Kazaam. He plays a rapping genie and that’s all you need to know. It’s rough.

Jim Brown

Jim Brown started acting while he was dominating the NFL. When the Cleveland Browns couldn’t accommodate his filming schedule, he decided to retire early. Of course, there’s more to that story. In the end, the running back went on to star in multiple war movies and westerns during the ‘60s and ‘70s, as well as all the most popular TV action series of the ‘80s. Many modern day athletes turned actors are following the trail he blazed.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem has played himself multiple times in movies and television, but his most memorable role came in the wild comedy Airplane! The basketball legend showed a comedic side to himself that the public wasn’t expecting and it made him even more popular.

Nnamdi Asomugha

The former NFL star has made a fascinating transition to Hollywood. He’s produced projects like Harriet, Beasts of No Nation and Crown Heights, while receiving praise for his acting in the romantic drama Sylvie’s Love.

Ray Allen

Ray Allen may have only appeared in one movie, but He Got Game’s Jesus Shuttlesworth is unforgettable. Plus, once you make your debut opposite Denzel Washington, it’s all downhill from there.

Terry Crews

Sure, Terry Crews is the funny big guy on America’s Got Talent, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and White Chicks, but before he became known for popping his pecs, he was a professional football player.

Rick Fox

Rick Fox has always been a heartthrob, so it’s no surprise that he found his way to Hollywood. What’s really surprising is how good he is. He’s one of the few people who’s been able to believably play roles that aren’t connected to his sports background.

Bubba Smith

If you’ve somehow never seen a single Police Academy movie, in which Bubba Smith plays the intimidating, yet loyal, Hightower, I’m going to assume you were born in the late ‘90s and have no idea what Police Academy is.

Rosey Grier

Football historians may know Rosey Grier as a member of the NFL’s Fearsome Foursome, but younger fans know him from his appearances on classic series like The Jeffersons, CHiPS, Quincy, ME and The Love Boat. Whether he was the intimidating big guy or the gentle giant, he was always captivating.

Michael Jordan

MJ’s film career consists solely of playing himself opposite Bugs Bunny in Space Jam. When your first film becomes a part of pop culture, you only need one.

Carl Weathers

Sure Carl Weathers played in the NFL and CFL, but most fans know him as fictional athlete Apollo Creed. His long and successful career has brought him to a galaxy far, far away as a director and star on The Mandalorian.

Serena Williams

Serena has played herself countless times, but she’s also had cameo appearances and small roles in Law & Order: SVU, ER, Drop Dead Diva and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

John David Washington

John David Washington used football as a way to get out of his Oscar-winning father’s shadow. Turns out, he couldn’t resist the acting bug. His breakout role as NFL player Ricky Jerret in HBO’s Ballers allowed him to blend the best of both worlds.