10 WWE Superstars you might not realise had small roles in Hollywood movies
One of the big advantages of working in an industry like wrestling is that you gain many of the skills required for acting. Look no further than the highest paid actor in the world, The Rock. He made the transition from wrestling to movies back in the early noughties and has since made waves in Hollywood, being a staple of the Fast and Furious series and landing roles in Moana, Baywatch and Jumanji.
With other Superstars following suit and also landing huge roles such as Batista, it’s easy to forget that many wrestlers have been in big films, but you might not even have realised or noticed them.
Filming movies can have an impact on the superstar’s storylines given that they have to be written out or a few weeks. However, it can also give the WWE more exposure and more opportunities to assimilate itself as a company into popular culture.
This article will explore 10 WWE superstars past and present who have had small roles or cameos in Hollywood movies.
#10 Gangrel in The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence)
Starting with the most gruesome entry in the list (the film not the wrestler) Gangrel made an appearance in Tom Six’s The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence). To give you a brief overview of the plot, a warden and his accountant hatch a plan to make a giant human centipede out of all the inmates to deter them and others from a life of crime.
Gangrel stars as one of the said prisoners and is seen several times throughout the film. It is not general knowledge that the former Brood leader was in this movie, but it’s a pleasant surprise for those with a stomach strong enough to sit through the film.
#9 Diamond Dallas Page in The Devil's Rejects (2005)
Sticking with the torture theme, another horror film featuring a wrestler was The Devil’s Rejects. Diamond Dallas Page played a bounty hunter called Billy Ray Snapper. The film follows a sadistic family being chased by an equally sadistic Sheriff.
There’s lots of blood and lots of questionable scenes in the movie. It’s worth a watch if only to see the master of DDP yoga acting alongside Danny Trejo. To put him with an actor of such a high calibre just helped with the immersion factor. It’s easily his most well-known outing as an actor.
The WWE Hall of Famer has played cameos in several movies over the last 20 years.
#8 Terry Funk in Road House (1989)
Patrick Swayze was the star of the cult classic 1989 movie Roadhouse, but for wrestling fans, the real treat was seeing Terry Funk! He plays Morgan in the film.
Funk has not been in too many films during his long and illustrious pro wrestling career. His performance in Road House is not to be sniffed at, but he never made the transition into Hollywood properly. To be fair, Terry Funk’s passion has always been wrestling so whether he would have taken that opportunity if offered to him is up for debate.
#7 Big Show in The Waterboy (1998)
Firstly, The Waterboy is a hilarious film, so if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend doing so.
The real story here, however, is The Big Show starring as Captain Insano, a wrestler shown on Adam Sandler’s TV. It’s a brief comedy moment which, surprise, surprise, actually ends up with Big Show crying. It must be where he got the practice from for all those times in his wrestling career. The WWE legend has been in several movies and TV shows, and has his own sitcom - The Big Show Show.
Check out the clip here:
#6 Kurrgan in 300 (2007)
Kurrgan has been in a lot of films as he has quite a sought after physique. He is extremely tall and extremely muscled due to his time as a wrestler. Those who were lucky enough to live through the Attitude Era will remember Kurrgan as a member of The Oddities.
However, since leaving the wrestling ring behind, he has starred in films such as Sherlock Holmes and Pacific Rim. He starred in 300 as Über Immortal, a powerful and deranged giant, who battles Leonidas (played by Gerard Butler) during the climactic fight.
This really helped to kick off Kurrgan's career as a Hollywood actor, though he often flies under the radar, despite the high-profile films he stars in.