5 current WWE Superstars who have proven themselves in the acting business
WWE has seen a plethora of superstars graduate from the squared circle and make their way into Hollywood. From John Cena to Batista and The Rock, these athletes have succeeded in flexing their acting chops.
As these stars moved on to Hollywood, they've either taken part-time roles or retired from in-ring competition. Many have achieved everything they wanted to in the wrestling business and have moved into a different industry to showcase their talents.
However, some current WWE Superstars have also made a breakthrough in Hollywood. They have shown promise in their portrayals of various roles and would potentially be a valuable contribution to the acting industry in the near future.
In this list, we will take a look at five WWE Superstars who have proven themselves in the acting business.
#5. Dolph Ziggler (Countdown, The Speed of Time)
Nick Nemeth - known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE - had small roles in the films "Me Him and Her" and "Buddy Hutchins" in 2015.
However, his major breakthrough came in 2016 when he starred as Ray Thompson in "Countdown". Playing as a retired narcotics cop alongside Lieutenant Cronin (Glenn Jacobs), Ray tries to save the life of a child in this action-packed thriller.
Following Dolph Ziggler's success as an action hero, he experimented with a comedic role. He portrayed the character of Orville in the 2020 sci-fi short film "The Speed of Time". Interestingly, Orville is the antagonist to former WWE Superstar John Morrison's character Johnny Killfire.
Ziggler has proven himself to be a worthy actor. Be it in cameos in horror films, action, or comedy, he has portrayed himself perfectly. He has a flexible character, which is the reason WWE can rely on him in any role, be it heel or babyface.
#4. Logan Paul (The Masked Singer, Impaulsive Podcast, Valley Girl)
Logan Paul is renowned for his YouTube skits and pranks. Although they are sometimes quite controversial, he has time and again proven his ability to act.
His debut movie was "The Thinning", a science-fiction tale about a dystopian future on Earth. In 2019, Paul played a fictionalized version of himself in the parody film "Airplane Mode" alongside his brother Jake Paul.
Logan Paul's most recent film role was in the 2020 musical "Valley Girl". This remake of an 80's classic is Paul's highest-rated film on IMDB, with a rating of 5.6.
On television, "The Masked Singer" season five witnessed a surprise appearance from Paul. In the singing competition, he came disguised as a monster, calling himself 'Grandpa Monster' and performing Joan Jett's 'Bad Reputation'. Judges incorrectly guessed that the monster was quarterback Johnny Manziel, Jake Paul, Kevin Hart, and WWE Superstar The Miz.
Paul has the potential to play goofy characters in films, but his controversial and silly antics annoy numerous people. If he drops that and pursues Hollywood seriously, he might be a megastar in no time.
#3. An icon in acting business - The Miz (The Marine, Real World, Miz and Mrs.)
Mike Mizanin is a gifted actor, but Hollywood only realized his capabilities in 2012. He starred as himself in the film "Campaign" and thus began his long journey in acting.
The Miz became a valued member of "The Marine" franchise in 2013. He joined in the third installment as Jake Carter. The character is renowned for his daring nature and propensity for self-sacrifice.
Interestingly, the action-thriller genre is the reason Miz made a breakthrough in acting rather than the comedy genre. He is also an adept voice artist, having starred as himself in animated Scooby-Doo movies.
The A-Lister has also been a part of several reality TV shows. The most notable of them are "Real World" (2001), "Dancing with the Stars" (2021), and "Miz and Mrs." (2018). It was on the MTV series "Real World" that he came up with the name The Miz.
A versatile actor, The Miz has portrayed himself in various roles throughout his acting career. There's no doubt that he's one of the great acting stars in WWE today.
#2. Ronda Rousey (The Expendables 3, Fast and Furious 7, Entourage)
Ronda Rousey played the role of Luna in the film "The Expendables 3", released in 2014. She portrayed the character of an athletic female bartender in her 20s who is ready to battle whenever required with the old Expendables. Her tasks were to drive, fly and shoot things.
Her next role was as a supporting antagonist in the renowned "Fast and Furious" franchise. As Kara, Ronda nailed the role of a billionaire prince's bodyguard. Her fight with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is memorable for the fiery pace and reactions of the two.
Ronda Rousey also played notable roles as herself in the movie "Entourage" (2015) and as the tactical expert Sam Snow in "Mile 22" (2018). Both roles showcased her natural fierceness thanks to her MMA background. She seems to have found her footing in action movies and will likely continue with the same.
#1. WWE Roman Reigns (Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw)
The Big Dog @WWERomanReigns is officially featured alongside @TheRock in the @FastFurious spinoff @HobbsAndShaw and we can't wait! https://t.co/hWNWcGC9w2
Joe Anoa’i, known as Roman Reigns in WWE, made his debut in Hollywood in 2019 with the movie "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw". He played the role of Mateo, one of the muscular and tattooed Samoan brothers of Hobbs.
Reigns was impressive in the role even though he plays a side character in the movie. During the climax, he perfectly performed a Spear and Superman Punch while fighting the bad guys alongside Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Although the role was short on screen-time, Mateo highlighted the capabilities of Anoa'i as a future Hollywood star. He was genuinely authentic in his expressions as a rampaging Samoan.