Like many of the more charismatic wrestlers to come out of the WWE, Hulk Hogan was one of those lucky ones who transitioned into film. His wrestling career is jaw-dropping. Hogan won his first WWF Heavyweight Championship belt in 1984 after defeating the Iron Sheik, holding his title for four years. He also won the Royal Rumble twice in a row in 1990 and 1991, becoming the first to win consecutive rumble matches.
Given the many theatrics that’s involved in the world of wrestling, this transition was made pretty smoothly. Of course, it helped that during the peak of his wrestling career, his face was just about every product in supermarkets and toy stores. The wrestler made his debut appearance Rocky III in 1982 in the role of Thunderlips. He then continued doing many more TV and film roles such as Thunder in Paradise, Texas Ranger, Mr. Nanny. and more.
Sean Connery
As a kid, Sean Connery grew up strong in a rough district of Scotland slums. On the streets, they called him Tommy. He has made a formidable impression playing tag or soccer. Later he joined the Dunedin Weightlifting Club to impress the ladies. Mission accomplished! His weightlifting blokes were so impressed they nominated him for Mr. Universe. Connery traveled to London to compete. He scored a medal and was discovered by the producers of the Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "South Pacific" musical.
Already pro grade at soccer, by age 23, he was set to become a professional footballer or an actor. Spoiler alert, he chose the latter. After a handful of minor roles on British TV and film, Connery scored his big break as James Bond. On Halloween 2020, the sports and acting legend passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Britney Spears
To say that the pop queen was an accomplished athlete before her music career is quite the statement, as the singer hit it big at the tender age of 16. The Oops I Did It Again singer was playing high school basketball, and things looked pretty promising. Did we have a potential WNBA star on our hands? Britney still shoots hoops and even loves to share it on Twitter. In a post in 2017, you can see queen Britney dunk quite a few in a row.
Now that her music career has slowed down, we wonder if she is having second thoughts. Everyone needs their second shot in the spotlight, and while she's had a few, maybe this could be another one.
Uzo Aduba
For a whole 45 minutes, Uzo Aduba almost quit acting and settled for the law profession. Next, she got the call back from Orange is the New Black. Needless to say, it was her lucky break. Her talent sparkled so brightly with the part-complicated, part-deranged role, Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, that Aduba picked up two Emmys and two SAGs for the comedy/drama series.
All that may not have happened if she hadn’t earned a track scholarship to Boston University, where she studied theatre and opera while setting records on the track field. At BU, she still holds a sprinting record. She ran the 100- and 200-meter sprints.
James Dean
The Rebel Without a Cause actor went too soon. The young talent's acting made him a cultural icon for teens in the 50s. However, before he was the poster teen for disillusioned teens and outcast youth, James Dean was known for something else. He was the multi-talented athlete called the "boy in glasses."
Dean played basketball, baseball and ran track, setting school records, winning medals in his senior year. Before the actor went on to shoot hoops in college, he was a basketball star on his high school team, The Fairmount High Quakers, in his hometown in Indiana. It was clear he had a zest for life.