According to Insider , Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is considered one of the most successful sports stars to turn to acting. In 1996, he followed his father’s footsteps by competing in the WWE tournament and quickly became a favorite athlete.

In 2001, Johnson had his first role – the villain in “The Mummy Returns”. The success of the project helped him to be invited to act in a series of Hollywood films after that. In 2004, The Rock retired from wrestling to become a full-time actor. Since then, he has appeared in many blockbuster franchises such as “Fast and Furious”, “Jumanji” and the DC Cinematic Universe. From 2016 to 2020, Johnson topped the list of highest-paid actors according to Forbes magazine. Photo: IMDb

Arnold Schwarzenegger is best known as a famous actor and politician. However, before starting his career in the US, he was a top bodybuilder, a five-time Mr. Universe champion and seven-time Mr. Olympia champion.

His acting career blossomed after the success of the project “Conan The Barbarian” (1982). After that, Schwarzenegger had a series of blockbusters such as “Terminator”, “Commando”, “Predator” or “Twins”. Photo: Insider

Like The Rock, wrestler John Cena entered the film industry after a successful career in the WWE. He started acting in 2006 with the project “The Marine”. Recently, he has actively developed his acting career with a series of blockbusters such as “Fast and Furious 9”, “The Suicide Squad” and “Peacemaker”.

John Cena’s last match in WWE was in mid-2022, when he lost to Roman Reigns. He said he would not retire but did not announce a return date. Previously, in a 2019 interview, Cena admitted that he wanted to spend more time developing his acting career than wrestling. Photo: Insider

Comedian Terry Crews is another star whose acting career overshadowed his athletic career. After graduating from college, he played for several NFL teams from 1991 to 1997.

He started acting in 2000 and quickly became famous. Terry Crews made his mark with his versatile acting ability, playing many genres such as comedy, action, romance… Photo: IMDb

Chuck Norris was a soldier who fought in Korea, where he spent many years studying martial arts. When he returned to the US, he participated in many tournaments from 1964 to 1974. During this time, Norris tried his hand at acting and gained attention after “Way of the Dragon” (1972). The film helped him quickly build a career in Hollywood, with a series of blockbuster action projects such as “Breaker! Breaker!” and “Good Guys Wear Black”. Photo: Insider

Dave Bautista is one of the most notable wrestlers in Hollywood. He retired in 2019, after 19 years of competition, to focus on pursuing his acting dream. Recently, Bautista played Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in blockbusters such as “Glass Onion”, “Blade Runner 2049”, “Dune”… Photo: IMDb

Jason Statham was a professional swimmer, and was a member of the British national diving team for 12 years. After retiring, he started modeling and became involved in film. The actor is known for film franchises such as “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”, “Transporter”, “The Mechanic”… Photo: IMDb

Jean-Claude Van Damme studied martial arts from a young age and was a professional karate athlete for many years. At the age of 22, he went to the US to seek acting opportunities and decided to retire. The Belgian-born star has had success with many action projects such as “Bloodsport”, “Timecop” and “Street Fighter”. Photo: IMDb

Gina Carano was one of the most famous female fighters in MMA before retiring in 2009 to focus on acting. Recently, the actress has appeared in blockbusters such as “Fast and Furious”, “Deadpool” or the series “The Mandalorian”. Photo: IMDb