5 WWE Superstar movie cameos that you didn't know existed
In recent years, several of WWE's biggest names have crossed over on to the big screen. The Rock is firmly established as one of the biggest - if not the biggest - players in Hollywood, while John Cena and Batista have also landed leading roles.
However, not every WWE Superstar cast in a movie is destined to be its leading attraction. For some, their appearance is simply a cameo, designed in some cases to help them gain formal acting experience. For others, the role might just be a fun diversion from the world of professional wrestling. In any case, fans seem to enjoy catching glimpses of WWE Superstars in this different environment.
For the purposes of this list, the more well-known names mentioned above will naturally be avoided, as will any appearances made by a Superstar in movies produced by WWE Studios (...feels like cheating!)
With that said, though, there are many WWE Superstars who have made lesser-known movie cameos for mainstream film studios. Here are 5 that might well surprise you.
#5 Edge - Highlander: Endgame (2000)
The WWE Hall of Famer might have a number of acting credits to his name today, but Edge made his cinematic debut way back in 2000. Just a few short years into his WWE career, the "Rated R Superstar" bagged the role of Lachlan in Highlander: Endgame.
Edge plays a thief who is outwitted by the movie's leading character Duncan MacLeod. A brief fight scene then ensues, but Lachlan is quickly defeated. In fact, wait until 1:50 in the video for... well, you'll see.
Edge's entire appearance only lasts a few minutes. However, it did set the table for the Canadian Superstar to have some further acting success. Following his 2011 retirement as an in-ring competitor for WWE, Edge was cast in recurring roles for TV series such as Haven and Vikings.
In a 2017 interview with SI.com, Edge commented on the major difference between wrestling and acting, revealing that it was strange for him to have to adjust to not working in a live environment:
“I loved that wrestling was live,” said Copeland. “You knew immediately whether it worked. The flip side of that in acting is that there are multiple takes to try multiple things, especially when a director asks you to play a scene in a different way. That’s an amazing process that you don’t have the chance to do in wrestling. Wrestling and acting are in the same tree, but on different branches. In wrestling, I was a perfectionist. I have more forgiveness for myself in acting, and it’s because we have multiple takes.”
With Edge recovering from a torn tricep after The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever with Randy Orton, it might be a while before he does either again.