The 89th Academy Awards are this Sunday, and it made us think about professional athletes who have made appearances on the big screen at some point. While we don’t always expect the players to put together Oscar-nomination type performances, sometimes they surprise us and put together performances that make us forget they’re athletes first and actors second.
With that being said, we have compiled a list of the top 10 acting performances and appearances by professional athletes:
10. Scott Hartnell, James van Riemsdyk, Matt Carle and Ian Laperriere – This is 40 (2012)
Although they weren't in the movie for very long, all four players got lines and a role in the film. They played themselves in the movie, so the only thing they really had to do was remember the few lines they were given. They definitely shouldn't quit their day jobs, but it's rare to see NHL players make an appearance on the big screen.
9. Tom Brady – Ted 2 (2015)
Tom Brady and Mark Wahlberg are good friends in real life, so it's no surprise Brady's acting career revolves around productions that Wahlberg is involved in. We've seen him make an appearance in both the “Entourage” television series and movie, but his more recent work was in “Ted 2,” where he combined his acting and athleticism in one scene.
8. Ray Allen – He Got Game (1998)
(David Dow/ Getty Images)
Ray Allen, also known as Jesus Shuttlesworth, was the most sought after high school basketball player in the nation. His father served time for killing Jesus' mother, and the only way he would get a reduced sentence was if he convinced his son, Jesus, to commit to the governor's alma matter university.
7. Mike Tyson – Mike Tyson Mysteries (2014)
(Astrid Stawiarz/ Getty Images)
Mike Tyson is not a great actor, but he continues to land roles. He appeared in “The Hangover” and “The Hangover 2," but his biggest success has come as a voice actor on his own show “Mike Tyson Mysteries.”
6. LeBron James – Trainwreck (2015)
(Steve Sands/ Getty Images)
Somehow LeBron James found time in his busy schedule to play a role in “Trainwreck” in 2015. It wasn't the first time he tested his acting abilities, but he seems to be getting better each and every time he does make an appearance. We're guessing he'll be making more appearances in movies sooner rather than later... cough, Space Jam 2.
5. Ronda Rousey – Entourage (2015)
(Bauer-Griffin/ Getty Images)
While Ronda Rousey's MMA career is most likely coming to a close, her acting career has taken off over the past couple of years. She earned roles in “The Expendables 3” and “Fast & Furious 7,” and then appeared in “Entourage”, where she ended up playing a pretty big role in the film.
4. Shaq – Fresh Off the Boat (2015)
(Guy D'Alema/ Getty Images)
Is there anything Shaq can't do? He has done it all, and just about everything at a professional level. While he's not starring in films like he used to 20 years ago, he's still getting roles, including jobs as a voice actor. You can't blame him for being in just about anything, because who wouldn't want to work with him? He might not be the greatest actor alive, but he has been in so many projects it's pretty much impossible to keep him off this list.
3. Arnold Schwarzenegger – The Terminator (1984)
(Buyenlarge/ Getty Images)
It's easy to forget he broke onto the scene as a professional bodybuilder, because almost everyone these days knows Arnold better as an actor (or governor). Bodybuilding is not a profession you can maintain your entire life, so it's clear he made the right choice by getting into acting, and it's been clear since his action movie career took off back in the 1980s.
2. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues – Space Jam (1996)
(John D. Kisch/ Separate Cinema Archives/ Getty Images)
It's one thing to make an appearance on the big screen as a professional athlete, but it's another thing to star in a movie where a majority of your supporting cast members are animations. We imagine that it took MJ a bit longer to get comfortable with 'Space Jam' than he would have with any other movie featuring all humans. The other NBA stars in the film didn't have anywhere close to the same screen time as Jordan had, but they did a good job in supporting roles.
1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – Ballers (2015)
(Aaron Davidson/ Getty Images)
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has done such a good job transitioning from athlete to actor, that sometimes people forget or just might not know that he was once The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment. Aside from his long list of movies that he's acted in (and that list continues to grow), he landed a role as a main character on HBO's “Ballers”, which was renewed for a third season set in Los Angeles. We couldn't just choose one performance of his, which is why he landed the top spot.
Let us know if we missed someone that you think deserves to be on this list. Send us an email at bardown@bellmedia.ca.
