Wrestlers in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Movies
Characters Wrestling Stars Have Portrayed
Part of a professional wrestler’s career is acting. Whatever character a wrestler takes on, whether it is something close to his own personality or something completely different, he has to make things up in order to fit with the persona. Therefore some wrestlers have naturally made the transition to acting (like The Rock), whereas others have acted only occasionally or even just once.
Two natural genres that most wrestlers have gravitated towards are science fiction and fantasy. Most wrestlers would probably say their business is an odd one, and many wrestlers are quite big and tall, which fits well with sci-fi and fantasy movie characters. Further, some wrestling characters have been close to movie monsters themselves (like Kane or The Boogeyman, for example). But other, more suave grapplers have taken on the role of heroes who fight monsters.
André the Giant in The Princess Bride
André the Giant (real name André Roussimoff) may have started the trend when he played the lovable (appropriately enough) giant called Fezzik who did work for the evil mastermind Vizzini in the children’s fantasy film The Princess Bride (1987). It’s been a popular mainstay for the past twenty-odd years, and André’s large part in the movie no doubt has contributed to its popularity.
Roddy Piper in They Live
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper starred as John Nada in the sci-fi movie They Live (1988). Nada can see aliens when he puts on a certain pair of sunglasses. These aliens have secretly taken over Earth. This movie also spawned the well-known phrase, “I came here to chew bubblegum and kick a**, and I’m all out of bubblegum!” It’s a combination of action, horror and science fiction that still has a cult following two decades later.
Piper has acted in several other movies and television shows, but none have paralleled the popularity and quotability of They Live. However, it should be noted that he has been in other sci-fi/fantasy films in particular, such as Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988), an action/sci-fi, First Encounter (1997), a sci-fi film which seems to have very little information available about it, and Sci-Fighters (1996).
Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker in Suburban Commando
Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker were in this 1991 family-friendly sci-fi movie. Hogan portrayed Shep Ramsey, an intergalactic freelance do-gooder who helped save planets in distress until he damaged his ship and had to land in Earth to recharge his vessel. Soon he discovers that “intergalactic bounty hunters” are after him. The Undertaker played one of those bounty hunters, called Hutch.
In one of the movie’s climaxes, Ramsey dukes it out with the two bounty hunters on Earth, first dispatching of the one called Knuckles, then fighting with Hutch. When Hutch emerges from an elevator, after removing a toilet from his head (following a scene that has to be seen to be believed), he points a finger at Shep and declares, “You’re a dead man, Ramsey” in the voice of a child.
Edge in Highlander: Endgame
In 2000, Edge had a bit part in the sci-fi/fantasy movie Highlander: Endgame. His character, originally named Lachlan but listed as “road bandit” on Internet Movie Database, stops some travellers going through the woods so that he can take their money. But he is bested by the leader, who makes a terrible pun while looming over the fallen bandit: “Looks like you’ve lost your edge.” Ouch.
The Rock: Wrestler Turned Actor
The Rock’s first taste of movie stardom came from his small part in The Mummy Returns (2001) as Mathayus the Scorpion King. People liked his cameo so much that he got his own film, The Scorpion King, in 2002. Soon after that he broke away from his wrestling career, eventually giving it up. He featured in other sci-fi/fantasy movies including Doom (2005), Race to Witch Mountain (2009) and did voicework for Planet 51 (2009).
Christian in Medium Raw: Night of the Wolf
Christian, who goes by his real name Jason Reso when acting, is due to have a significant part in the Canadian movie Medium Raw: Night of the Wolf, which comes out later this year. He plays a cop called Pete. The film is fantasy/horror, and revolves around a psycho killer that has escaped from his room at an asylum and the people there that have to fight for their lives.
Wrestling and Fantasy Movies Go Together
While pro wrestling should be considered a sport, it is also entertainment and fantasy. That wrestlers have acted in fantasy and science fiction films is thus no surprise. While for some it is just a chance to do something fun that they would probably not otherwise be able to do if they weren’t famous, for those like The Rock, it becomes their livelihood. Wrestling and acting are therefore inextricably linked.
Sources:
The Internet Movie Database
Christian Gives Himself a Thumbs-Up
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Edge Thinks He's Number One
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