There isn't a more passionate and outspoken community online than the wrestling community. The cross-promotion with wrestling and other media is more commonplace than it was 20 or so years ago. YouTube juggernaut turned WWE superstar Logan Paul surprised everybody with a compelling and exciting match against the WWE Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns. The phenomenon of celebrities stepping into the squared circle are not as rare as they once were.
It probably wouldn't have been possible if wrestlers didn't try their luck on the silver screen many years ago. Which performance, though, was a breakthrough to the mainstream? Many Reddit users have asked this very question.
10 'The Longest Yard' (2004)
The Longest Yard is a 1974 comedy classic about a famous American football player who ends up in jail and is asked to put a team together consisting of inmates to challenge the prison guards to a match.
In 2005, the movie was remade starring Adam Sandler, and unfortunately, it did not capture the same magic as the original. However, the use of WWE wrestlers at the time made it stand out from his counterpart. u/Hillbillyjoker echoed this view saying, "The Adam Sandler version of the Longest Yard had Kevin Nash, Steve Austin, The Great Khali, and Goldberg. It's more stupid and goofy, but it was ok."
9 'GLOW' (2017 - 2019)
The heightened drama in wrestling stories that would not seem out of place on TV makes professional wrestling special. So it is no wonder the Netflix show GLOW attracted a passionate following during its three-season run. Focusing on an all-woman wrestling promotion in the 1980s, their success, and failures in a heavily dominated male sport.
Kai "Awesome Kong" Stevens plays Tamme Dawson, who joins G.L.O.W (Glamorous Ladies Of Wrestling) to help pay for her son's medical school tuition fees. Tamme was only supposed to be a recurring character in Season 2; Awesome Kong's strong but emotional performance was so good that Tamme had a starring role in the third season that dealt with complex issues, from struggling parenthood to drug addiction. u/Jay_ Shadow put forward his opinion saying, "Kia Stevens aka Awesome Kong in Netflix's GLOW."
8 'They Live' (1988)
Roddy Piper had an iconic performance in John Carpenter's They Live—a science fiction horror movie with a satirical edge. Piper plays a drifter who stumbles across supernatural sunglasses, which reveal the upper class is aliens that are hellbent on controlling the masses.
Roddy Piper was one of the first and finest actors to come out of the WWE. u/spideyv91 wrote, "Piper in they live. I feel like he could of been a really good actor if he stayed in the field."
7 'Be Cool' (2005)
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) is easily the most recognizable star to transition from the soap opera-esque world of WWE to the world of the cinema. He had humble beginnings, starting as a meme-worthy CGI monstrosity that was the Scorpion King in the early 2000s to becoming DC's poster boy in Black Adam.
However, according to one Reddit user, the 2011 comedy Be Cool, where Dwayne plays a hitman who somewhat ironically wants desperately to break into the movie business. In the Buzzfeed subreddit, referring to an article that talks about 26 roles that highlighted underrated performances, u/Joepants said, "27. Dwayne Johnson as Elliot Wilhelm in Be Cool because the list did not include this it is flawed."
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6 'The 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 Cena, saying, "John Cena is just too damn good as Peacemaker to be denied."
John Cena made his debut as Peacemaker in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, where he immediately caught the eye of movie watchers who possibly weren't knowledgeable of his wrestling persona. Peacemaker's purpose is essentially to make peace by any means necessary, which isn't a far cry from Mr. Cena's motivational catchphrase, "Hustle, loyalty, respect." No wonder John Cena is just too damn good.
5 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' (2005 -)
The top comment was from u/SeniorBigBelly, who confidently said that Roddy Piper's multi-episode cameo as an old retired wrestler who generally hands out parking tickets as gifts and gets upset about losing out on 15 dollars, "Da Maniac" is an "easy all-timer for him."
Always Sunny in Philadelphia has had many great cameos throughout its 11-season run. Piper's Da Maniac is among the best, fitting so well with the gang's unhinged chemistry, usually leaving them speechless with a funny but disturbing one-liner. A one-liner that wouldn't go a miss on his famous WWE talk show, Piper's Pitt.
4 'Blade Runner 2049' (2017)
User u/Hangman's12Bucks exclaimed that Batista's small role in the sequel to Ridley Scott's classic Blade Runner left a lasting mark on them, "Dave is a legitimately good actor. He truly inhabits a different character in every role."
In Blade Runner 2049, Batista is Sapper Morton, a "replicant" who is "retired" by the main protagonist K (Ryan Gosling), who sets in motion the events of the film. Despite the limited screen time, Batista gave an understated and nuanced performance that conveyed so much. It put him on the map as a serious, dramatic actor.
3 'Spider-Man' (2002)
Who doesn't love a good hero origin story? The Spider-Man franchise has seen its fair share of them over the years. Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man beginnings stayed close to the comic books with good reason seeing as it was the first big blockbuster Spider-Man. However, in his first bout, there was a surprise: Peter Parker's opponent was wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage as Bone Saw.
u/SuperSaiyansub put forward his suggestion and was met with a positive response, with u/TrainRider24-7 quipping, "Agreed, it was so nice of Randy to put the Spidey guy over." Bone Saw him over in a steel cage match that was brutal and anxiety-inducing. Close lining and throwing him face-first into the cage. Peter Parker's first opponent left an indelible mark.
2 'Vikings' (2013 - 2020)
When people think about wrestlers trading their gimmicks for the silver screen, John Cena and Batista usually come to mind (and have already appeared on this list). There is one more iconic WWE superstar that comes to mind, and that is Edge. Since he retired in 2011, Edge has entered the acting world, starting in roles in Haven, and his most prominent role to date, Vikings.
Edge assumes the role of Viking worrier Kjetill, who settles in Iceland and slowly goes mad in his quest to avenge his family. Edge surprised and wowed audiences with an angry, vicarial performance, perfecting the Danish accent, culminating in a fantastic character. u/HannibalKrauger agreed, saying, "Edge was great in Vikings."
1 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014)
Batista's many memorable roles is a testament to his abilities. In his most famous role to date, Batista plays Drax, an intergalactic warrior who went on a murderous rampage after Thanos killed his wife and child. In his quest for revenge joined the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Drax is a fan favorite due to his dry sense of humor, lack of social awareness, and complete misunderstanding of sarcasm. It is fair to say that Batista wasn't best known for his comedic ability during his time at WWE. It then came as an amazing surprise when his first big screen role as Drax was hilarious as it was badass. u/Ventura615 said, "Batista killed it as Drax," proclaiming that Batista had the "Best wrestler-to-actor transition."