Famous Athletes Who Made the Leap to the Big Screen

We often dream of a profession when we are growing up, that one area or field that we fantasize or obsess about. There may be people we look up to – whether writers, sports stars, or doctors – and know that if we try hard enough, and are committed to our future aspirations, our childhood dreams can become a reality. The road to many professions is certainly not an easy one. Many paths in life require extreme dedication; professions where you must constantly train to stay at the top of your game.

Professional athletes are one such career – a job that demands a commitment to perform extremely well to stay in the game. Athletes must constantly work at staying in playing condition and many of them are so great at what they do, they are renowned worldwide, even by those who may not be sports fans. But participating in the athletic world is generally not a life-long career and many athletes are thinking about what their next steps will be.

Once they have reached the pinnacle of their careers, or perhaps retiring after injuries, many take their performing skills even further and try their talents on the silver screen, in the hopes that their hard work and sports celebrity will propel them into a new career. To compile a list of famous athletes who made the leap to the big screen, 24/7 Tempo consulted a section on the subject on IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon.

Included on this list are several famous basketball and football players – and an infamous one as well. (There's even a European footballer who's done very well in the acting sector; one might wonder if the current group of football athletes competing in the Copa America and the Euro 2024 will make the transition from athlete to actor.)

In some cases, the athletes have portrayed themselves on screen. In others, they've had brief blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameos. Then there are those sports figures listed who have seriously pursued their acting careers, like former NBA star Rick Fox and footballers Carl Weathers, Bubba Smith, Alex Karras, and Brian Bosworth.

Some movies featuring sports figures become major hits. Carl Weathers, for instance, was memorable as Apollo Creed, the title character's main rival (and later friend) in the "Rocky" films. Then there is iconic basketball player Michael Jordan who shone in "Space Jam." Grossing over $250 million worldwide, it became the most successful basketball film of all time and the tenth-highest-grossing film of 1996. (These are the 100 top-grossing movies of all time.)

Transitioning from the playing field or court to a soundstage may not be all that difficult for some athletes. They're used to giving their all in front of large audiences and know how to take direction. Turning to the movie or TV business can be considered a good way for these often beloved public figures to stay in the public eye. (Several musicians have tried their hand at acting, too. Here are 25 pop music stars who've played dramatic roles in movies.)

Here are famous athletes who have appeared in movies

• Sports career: Shooting guard and small forward for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards
• Memorable movie role(s): Himself in "Space Jam"

• Sports career: American wrestler and former judoka and mixed martial artist
• Memorable movie role(s): Kara in "Fast & Furious 7"

• Sports career: Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Memorable movie role(s): Al in "Failure to Launch"

• Sports career: Linebacker for the Oakland Raiders
• Memorable movie role(s): Al Dillon in "Predator;" Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" franchise; Jericho "Action" Jackson in "Action Jackson"

• Sports career: Right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and the NHL Boston Bruins
• Memorable movie role(s): Sea Bass in "Dumb and Dumber;" "Me, Myself & Irene;" and "Dumb and Dumber To"

Nicknamed "Bam-Bam," Cam Neely is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. He played right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and the NHL Boston Bruins.

• Sports career: NFL defensive end for the Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers, and the Kansas City Chiefs
• Memorable movie role(s): Lotney "Sloth" Fratelli in "The Goonies"

• Sports career: Center for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers
• Memorable movie role(s): Roger Murdock in "Airplane!"

• Sports career: Shooting guard, small forward, power forward and point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and (currently) the Los Angeles Lakers
• Memorable movie role(s): Himself in "Space Jam: A New Legacy;" himself in "Trainwreck"

• Sports career: Former fullback for the Cleveland Browns
• Memorable movie role(s): Robert T. Jefferson in "The Dirty Dozen;" "Dreems" in "Fingers;" "Fireball" in "The Running Man"

• Sports career: Catcher for the Milwaukee Braves/Atlanta Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Philadelphia Phillies
• Memorable movie role(s): Harry Doyle in "Major League"

• Sports career: Shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Boston Celtics, and the Miami Heat
• Memorable movie role(s): Jesus Shuttlesworth in "He Got Game"

• Sports career: Center for Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics
• Memorable movie role(s): John Henry Irons ("Steel") in "Steel;" Kazaam in "Kazaam"

• Sports career: American professional figure skater and one-time star of the Ice Capades
• Memorable movie role(s): Alexis "Lexie" Winston in "Ice Castles;" Bibi Dahl in "For Your Eyes Only"

• Sports career: Center for the Washington Bullets/Wizards and the New Jersey Nets
• Memorable movie role(s): My Giant

• Sports career: Linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks
• Memorable movie role(s): Detective Joe Huff / John Stone in "Stone Cold"

• Sports career: Small forward for the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics
• Memorable movie role(s): Chick Deagan in "He Got Game;" Clyde "Sweet Feet" Livingston in "Holes"

• Sports career: Heavyweight boxer
• Memorable movie role(s): Himself in "The Hangover"

• Sports career: Center for the Harlem Globetrotters and the Philadelphia Warriors/San Francisco Warriors, the 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers
• Memorable movie role(s): Bombaata in "Conan the Destroyer"

• Sports career: American mixed martial artist turned fitness model
• Memorable movie role(s): Angel Dust in "Deadpool"

• Sports career: Defensive midfielder for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelsea, and Queens Park Rangers
• Memorable movie role(s): Big Chris in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels;" Bullet Tooth Tony in "Snatch"

• Sports career: Quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings
• Memorable movie role(s): Himself in "There's Something About Mary"

• Sports career: Defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions
• Memorable movie role(s): Mongo in "Blazing Saddles;" "Squash" Bernstein in "Victor/Victoria"

• Sports career: Running back with the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers
• Memorable movie role(s): Detective Nordberg in all three installments of "The Naked Gun" (he was later charged with the murder of his wife – he was acquitted; he went to prison for armed robbery and kidnapping.)

• Sports career: New York Giants outside linebacker
• Memorable movie role(s): Luther "Shark" Lavay in "Any Given Sunday"

• Sports career: Defensive end for the Baltimore Colts, the Oakland Raiders, and the Houston Oilers
• Memorable movie role(s): Cadet Moses Hightower in the "Police Academy" franchise