20 entertainers you didn’t realize started their careers in sports

Hulk Hogan has been a reality star and generally famous person for so long that his origins have become fuzzy. But never forget where Hulk Hogan started: in the ring. 

If you look at Terry Crews, it checks out that he used to play professional football. The man is jacked. But after ending his athletic career, Crews began pursuing acting, and it’s been a good fit. He’s now best known for his work in projects like White Chicks and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 

Jean-Claude Van Damme is another celebrity whose participation in athletics is apparent just by his appearance. The famous action star started out as a karate champion, and his moves are on full display in his acting work. 

Long before he was the Terminator or the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a bodybuilder. And he was quite successful. The star earned a multitude of titles during his competition days. And if you look at old footage, you can certainly see why. 

A bygone icon, Carl Weathers became famous for his work in Rocky. The actor had plenty of experience in athletics, as he was a linebacker in the NFL back in the day. 

If you’re a current karate star, it’s totally plausible that you could transition into acting. That’s what Chuck Norris did, and he’s been wildly successful. Before working as an actor, Norris was a karate champion. He even held a title. 

Jason Lee of My Name is Earl and Alvin and the Chipmunks fame was once a professional skateboarder. He wasn’t quite at the level of Tony Hawk, but he held his own. The two skateboarders have teamed up on various projects since their respective exits from the sport. 

See, it’s not so crazy to think that Jason Kelce could have a successful career in the entertainment industry when he’s done playing football. Look at all the athletic Jasons who’ve come before him. Jason Statham started as a professional diver and then transitioned into action films. 

Anymore, Ed O’Neill is best known for his work on Modern Family. Before that, he was best known for his work on Married… with Children, and before that, he was best known for his work in the NFL. 

Dean Cain is one of our finest Superman actors, but there’s a world that exists in which he didn’t begin acting at all. Cain was signed to an NFL team after graduating college, but he suffered a career-ending injury and pivoted to the entertainment industry.

Not many female athletes have successfully transitioned into the entertainment industry, but Sonja Henie broke the mold. The actor started as a figure skater where she won Olympic and world titles in the sport. 

Another female who started her career in athletics, Gina Garano was a headliner in MMA. She retired from the sport and found herself in projects like Fast & Furious 6 and Deadpool. 

Lots of athletes have transitioned into acting, but not many have gotten their own sitcom. Tony Danza, the star of Taxi, Who’s the Boss?, and The Tony Danza Show, started his career as a professional boxer. It must’ve been hard for him to be handsome, athletic, and funny. 

Okay, Kurt Russell didn’t start his career in sports. He was a child actor who successfully transitioned into adult acting. But before he became the bona fide icon he is today, Russell played professional baseball in the minor leagues. 

Whether you know him from his work as James Bond or you know him from Darrell Hammond’s SNL impression of him, you know Sean Connery. But long before he was the inspiration behind one of the sketch comedy series’ greatest recurring skits, Connery was playing professional soccer for a Scottish team. 

Honestly, moving from bodybuilding to the entertainment industry seems like a natural transition. Both require tons of showmanship. Clearly, it was easy for Lou Ferrigno, a former bodybuilder who went on to become the Incredible Hulk.

Steven Seagal is a multi-talented man. The star began his career in martial arts, performing and instructing before moving on to pursue film. He’s since tested out multiple facets of the entertainment industry. 

Jim Brown impacted every industry he touched. The star began his career in the NFL, where he set multiple records that had some staying power. He then moved on to acting, and he always made sure to stand up for his beliefs in his work. 

Esther Williams was a competitive swimmer, and it was her talent in the water that made her so attractive to studio execs. Back when she started her career, execs were looking for a female athlete to sign, and Williams worked perfectly for the aquamusicals she was cast in. 

Vinnie Jones was a pretty major soccer player. He played for quite a few professional teams before retiring and becoming an actor. If you’re curious about what he was like on a soccer field, you can use your imagination while watching him in the classic soccer film She’s the Man.