From NFL legends and NBA stars, here are some of the most notable athletes who traded the field, court or ring for a movie set.
Jalen Brunson apparently decided an NBA championship wasn’t enough for one summer. After leading the New York Knicks to their first championship since 1973 and earning Finals MVP honors, the point guard has spent the offseason becoming one of New York’s most visible celebrities.
His latest stop was the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Brunson was spotted leaving the show’s New York set on September 16, just months after star Mariska Hargitay teased that the noted SVU fan could eventually appear on the series. Details surrounding Brunson’s role haven’t been revealed yet, but his presence on set certainly makes that long-discussed cameo look very real.
And television has pretty much become part of Brunson’s offseason at this point. Days earlier, he appeared alongside Hargitay in a prerecorded bit during the 2026 Emmys, and he’s also scheduled to host the September 26 season premiere of Saturday Night Live with KATSEYE as the musical guest. Throw in an ESPY win, a children’s book and seemingly nonstop appearances New York, and the Finals MVP has been keeping almost as busy off the court as he was during the postseason.
Whether Brunsn ever seriously pursues acting remains to be seen, but athletes making the jump from sports into Hollywood is nothing new. Some have been content with cameos that play off their famous personas, while others discovered an entirely new career once the games stopped. From NFL legends and NBA stars to wrestlers who became legitimate box-office draws, here are some of the most notable athletes who traded the field, court or ring for a movie set.
Long before he became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Dwayne Johnson was one of WWE’s defining personalities. He eventually turned that charisma into a full-time movie career, leading franchises including Jumanji, Fast & Furious and Black Adam.
Crews spent several years bouncing around the NFL before moving to Los Angeles and pursuing entertainment. His roles in White Chicks, Everybody Hates Chris, The Expendables and Brooklyn Nine-Nine ultimately made acting far more recognizable for him than football.
Before he became Apollo Creed, Weathers briefly played professional football, including time with the Oakland Raiders. Rocky changed everything, eventually leading to memorable roles in Predator, Happy Gilmore, Arrested Development and The Mandalorian.
One of football’s greatest running backs also became one of the earlier major Black athletes to successfully transition into Hollywood. After retiring from the Cleveland Browns, Brown built a lengthy film résumé that included The Dirty Dozen, 100 Rifles, Slaughter and Three the Hard Way.
Cena followed a path similar to The Rock, using his WWE superstardom as a launching pad into Hollywood. While early projects leaned heavily into action, movies like Trainwreck and Blockers showed off his comedy chops before The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker helped establish him as a versatile leading man.
Bautista could have easily spent his acting career playing different versions of the intimidating giant he portrayed in WWE. Instead, his breakthrough as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy eventually led to more varied work in Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Knock at the Cabin and other dramatic projects.
Kareem’s acting career never overtook what he accomplished in basketball, but he owns one of the most memorable athlete cameos ever. The NBA legend appeared alongside Bruce Lee in Game of Death before famously playing co-pilot Roger Murdock in the comedy classic Airplane!
Shaq seemingly tried everything during his playing career, and movies were no exception. The Hall of Fame center starred in Kazaam and played the DC superhero Steel in 1997, while also piling up cameos in films and television shows over the years.
Fox quietly put together one of the more substantial acting careers of any former NBA player. After winning three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, he appeared in projects including The Game, Oz, One Tree Hill, Shameless and Greenleaf.
The former NFL defensive lineman found his second career as an actor after retiring from football. Smith became best known as the towering but gentle Moses Hightower in the Police Academy franchise, appearing in six of the movies.
Karras spent more than a decade starring on the Detroit Lions’ defensive line before becoming a familiar face on television and in movies. He appeared in Blazing Saddles and later played George Papadopolis for several seasons on the sitcom Webster.
Before American audiences knew Jones as an actor, he was a bruising professional soccer player in England. Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels helped launch his second career, which eventually included Snatch, X-Men: The Last Stand and dozens of other film and television roles.
Rousey became a combat-sports superstar through judo, MMA and eventually WWE before branching into movies. She landed action-heavy roles in The Expendables 3, Furious 7 and Miles 22, generally making use of the physical skills that initially made her famous.
Before becoming one of Hollywood’s go-to action stars, Statham competed as a diver for England and represented the country internationally. His move into acting led to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, The Transporter, The Expendables, and a lengthy run in the Fast & Furious universe.
Schwarzenegger was already one of the biggest names competitive bodybuilding had ever produced before Hollywood came calling. His physique initially opened the door, but films like Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, Predator and Total Recall ultimately turned him into one of the defining action stars of his era.
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Making Plays: A List Of Athletes Turned Actors was originally published on cassiuslife.com
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