The comedian played soccer, basketball, baseball, and football — he even set a school record for most field goals while on his high school's football team. 2, and The Fast and the Furious franchise. He told Vanity Fair that he loved martial arts more than football. Josh Duhamel is another one of those Hollywood actors who has aged like a bottle of fine wine. Before some country artists were playing music in stadiums, they used to play their favorite sports in hopes of making the pro leagues. He also got into polo and helped establish the Harvard Polo Club. Anthony Perkins ' son Oz Perkins, himself now a director, played child Norman in Psycho 2. We are very pleased that he chose acting, though, as we get to enjoy his presence in films like Silkwood, Escape From New York, Elvis, Stargate, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 7 Frank Dillane played a menacing Tom Riddle, the boy who would become the evil Lord Voldemort. 16 Famous Actors Who Started Their Careers As Professional Athletes . A two-time Super Bowl champion, Sanders also played with the Atlanta Braves in the 1992 World Series and played parts of nine lightning-fast seasons in MLB. She ran the New York City Marathon in 2013 and the Boston Marathon in 2015. Channing Tatum’s story is legendary — he was discovered while stripping, and much of Magic Mike was based on Tatum’s own life. The "Fate of the Furious" actor picked up diving in his teens and made it onto Britain's national team. Not only can he perform but the 240 pounds 6’3” actor was a football player. by Ehis Osifo. Evan Scott Schwartz 09/05/2014 Your favorite actors were stars on the field before they hit the screen. He attended Western Michigan University on a full football scholarship before being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. Turns out, a lot of stars weren’t even thinking about acting. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. (He's number 42 in this photo.) Pele (1940 – ) (Brazil, footballer) Winner of three World Cups with Brazil. We may never have seen Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin (his Oscar-winning role) had a back injury in college not sidelined him from his main sport. Subscriber "Well, I was an athlete," she said. After only playing football his freshman year in high school, McHale walked on to the University of Washington as a tight end. He placed fifth in the state wrestling competition his senior year in 1997. New Balance Released a New Active Face Mask, Why Deep Breathing Might Help You Right Now, Soledad O'Brien's 'Listening Tour' Continues, John Mosley: 'Last Chance U' Left Out This Moment, High school football and basketball player. While many of these athletes-turned-actors compete at a high level in their sports on a national stage, only an elite few ever find themselves competing on the world stage, in what is arguably the biggest sporting event held on a global scale: the Olympic Games. The comedian was involved with a lot of extracurriculars, including drama club and her school newspaper. For those who are also die-hard sports fans, owning their all-time favorite sports team is too much of a temptation for many Hollywood stars. He also thought it was a good idea to play in the NHL when he was 47 years old. (Yes, you read that right.). Also played football and basketball at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University). He also played basketball. Kurt may be known for his acting skills, but he played minor league baseball for years before getting serious in the acting world. Tommy Lee Jones is one of those older guys that you just don’t want to mess with. He had aspirations to play for the Dallas Cowboys, and was even the first person in his high school's history to pass for over 1,000 yards. Professional wrestler on the independent circuit (1992–1995) and in WWE (1995–present), most notably as Kane. He was pretty good, too. BuzzFeed Staff. He also played on the Trojans’ volleyball team. The former "Daily Show" host was a winger on the William & Mary men's soccer team and eventually made it to the varsity team after starting as a walk-on. Here are the players across the four major sports who first appeared in the 1990s and are still active. Foxx, whose real name is Eric Marlon Bishop, was a quarterback in high school and wanted to play for the Dallas Cowboys. He was then signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 but was cut about two weeks into training camp. But a handful of pro athletes have managed to parley their fame into a Hollywood career. (Here are a few more facts you didn't know about The Rock.). You probably know the story from here. He played at Hofstra in the ‘80s and is still active in the sport even after appearing in so many movies. Besides professional athletes, celebrities take many forms in the United States. Check out these 20 celebrities who were hits on the playing field before they were stars on the big screen. I was interested in other things and missing home.". He is most famous for his role as Juggernaut in X-Men United. A flanker (and handy amateur boxer) he also played for the British and Irish Lions. Warner Bros. and Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC Nowadays, he's probably best known for his role as Nick Clark on AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead." Crews is hilarious on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," but in his younger years, his life was dominated by football. 9. He was cut two months into it, but then went on to be an award-winning wrestler and was Forbes' highest-paid actor in 2016. He was enough of a standout player in high school to be invited to try out for the Cincinnati Reds, which apparently didn't go so well after he couldn't hit a curveball. She told Logo that basketball wasn't her favorite sport though. I was supposed to stick with track because I was really quick and I could run fast, but I told them, 'I want to dance,'" she said in 2008. He didn't place. The Academy Award winner played for Saint Mary's College of California on a basketball scholarship. Kurt Russell. Click to Expand Search Input. Whitaker wasn’t just a fictional football player in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in the Rocky series, went pro before calling it quits. He’s got a lot of talents, to say the least. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. “In playing rugby my rage would come out, rage that I identify as Wolverine rage," he said. The "Modern Family" star first attended Ohio University on a football scholarship, but after spending more time at parties and having a frustrating relationship with the coach, he left after his sophomore year and transferred over to Youngstown State University. However, while his official credit in Space Jam is "Michael Jordan", it's hard not to at least mention him in this list in some capacity. An actor is a person who portrays a character in a performance (also actress; see below). For the Love of Sports and Fame: Hollywood Actors Who Used to be Athletes Matthew Fox Matthew Fox grew in Wyoming, and anything seems like a good excuse to get out there. We can only imagine how terrifying it was to run into him on the field. made apparent by what he can do on a Peloton, he used sports to let out his frustrations, first person in his high school's history to pass for over 1,000 yards, a few more facts you didn't know about The Rock, played college soccer for William and Mary, apparently didn't go so well after he couldn't hit a curveball, 40 Actors You Probably Didn't Know Were British, How Dwayne Johnson Overcame Adversity (and So Can You), 20 Best Sports Movies Streaming on Netflix, 20 Things You Probably Didn’t Know Were Gluten-Free, Chris Pratt Schools The Rock On Treadmill Form, The Rock Made More Money This Year Than Any Actor. But, no, it wasn't for boxing. Comedian Jon Stewart is known for his ability to make us laugh, but not as well-known for his athletic prowess. His journey speaks to the type of person he is. Also played football and basketball at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University). The actress worked at a local dance company while in high school and also did choir and track. Apart from fun, playing outdoor sports has health benefits as well. Saturday, 02 Jun, 12.03 pm. Click through our gallery for many more celebs who played sports. She was close to breaking a record in the 55-meter race with her 7.07 seconds against the top 7.03. Actor Chuck Connors (of "The Rifleman" fame) played both pro basketball ... To the best of my knowledge and research, no one has 'PLAYED' all three major professional sports (MLB, NFL & NBA) at a Major League level. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will be the first one to tell you to that absolutely nothing good in life comes without a hell of a lot of hard work. But his talents go far beyond the big screen. Now he’s a successful Hollywood actor known for his chiseled body and incredible dance moves. After a career as a professional football player didn’t pan out, Johnson became a professional wrestler, where he adopted his nickname “The Rock” and became a legend in the WWE. This is when his focus switched to music and acting (silver lining). Ed Marinaro has appeared in several movies and television shows but is best known for the character Officer Joe Coffey on Hill Street Blues which aired from 1981 to 1987. Fox As we gear up for The Big Game, here are a handful of football players who managed to find new careers as thespians. It makes sense that Jackman has always been athletic. Sports & Athletics. List of athletes. In short, his acting career was similar to his career as a sponsored, professional skater, a sidekick and a leading man. Below is a list of multi-sport athletes who have played in at least one sport professionally, listed by primary athletic occupation, with notes on their secondary sport(s). 5. Carl Weathers was born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He retired after only eight games, looking to focus on acting. Rob Wainwright - A doctor in the Royal Army Medical Corps, he played rugby union for Scotland and captained his country on 16 occasions. "I was very much a tomboy," she said. "I loved softball, but I did play basketball. Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. We may earn a commission through links on our site. A list of actors who played high school football, college football and in some cases pro football. The rest, so far, is history. All of them showed more athletic promise than Paris, and a few were among the very best in the world back in their day. Johnson accepted a full scholarship to play for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He decided to try out for another sport. Interestingly, a… The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television.The analogous Greek term is ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs), literally "one who answers". There’s lots of sports movies and lots of actors trying to pass as athletes, but very few can actually ... though, is that the actor didn’t play professionally in the sport that his character plays in the movie -so no Ray Allen in He Got Game ... along with the perks and problems that come along with being a professional football player. I didn't love it so much — I was recruited because I'm so tall.". I mean, have you seen Michael J. Calling Michael Jordan an "actor" is, admittedly, a bit of a stretch, as the well-known athlete has only ever played himself in the various movies and television shows in which he has been involved. He earned a Rose Bowl ring. American football. Now here’s a guy who made a great career choice. She also ran the 100-meter and 200-meter races. Reynolds was a star running back at Florida State and was later inducted into the Seminoles athletic hall of fame. Professional wrestler on the independent circuit (1992–1995) and in WWE (1995–present), most notably as Kane. Regarding athletes who gave up sports to play characters, ... the highly energetic actor was once an NFL journeyman, who played for several teams in the early 1990s. Part of his secret to looking and feeling good as he gets older, of course, includes working out regularly. 21 Celebrities You Might Not Know Owned Pro Sports Teams Celebrities with multi-million dollar paychecks have the luxury of spending their cash wherever they like. And being a dad. He was part of the football team at Minot State University, but he dropped out of school after failing to get into dental school. News on Japan, Business News, Opinion, Sports, Entertainment and More It looks like you're using an ad blocker. A famous and successful football star at San Diego State, he played with the Oakland Raiders and retired from the sport in 1974, in order to give full attention to his goal: to be a real actor. Jamie Foxx is an actor, comedian, former Men’s Health cover guy, and even dabbles in music. "My mom was a dancer, my dad was a baseball player, my brother was a hockey player, and I was a soccer player and a dancer — we grew up very active," she said, "We were constantly doing activities like that, and that's where it started for me, hands down.". The criteria I used for this list is they had to have played a sport professionally. Somehow, it doesn't surprise us that Reynolds held his own on the field. We've all heard of athletes who successfully made the perilous transition from playing sports to playing movie roles. Ed O'Neill is best-known for playing Al Bundy on Married With Children and as Sofia Vergara's husband on Modern Family. George Clooney, AKA the Silver Fox, had dreams very different from being a massive Hollywood star growing up. He recently posted a #throwbackthursday of him with his soccer team (he's in the bottom row, second from the right), but growing up in Australia, the future Wolverine also played a lot of rugby. At 6'4", Selleck towers over many of his costars. And then there were three. Here are 22 celebrities who you might now know played sports: Now known for "Orange is the New Black," the actress was on her college's track team. 9. Turns out he was a pretty fit guy growing up. They were thinking about the same things many boys think about: sports—and how to become the next great athlete. Eight Country Singers Who Almost Went Pro in Sports. Stewart was a talented athlete growing up, and actually played college soccer for William and Mary. The guy is approaching 50 years old and showing no signs of slowing down, made apparent by what he can do on a Peloton. In an interview for the university, he said he didn't enjoy basketball by the time he graduated in 1996. Sort by: View: 32 names 1. As a young man, he alternated between studying law and playing professional soccer as a goalkeeper in his home city of Madrid. Feel free to help me fill in any of the blanks (such as what position some of them played) and to suggest others to be added to the list. The actor and professional wrestler was a great all-around athlete who accepted a full football scholarship to the University of Miami. Dara played multiple sports, one of which was volleyball. Feel free to help me fill in any of the blanks (such as what position some of them played) and to suggest others to be added to the list. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/g20134565/celebrities-who-played-sports Fred Dryer—who played 13 seasons and 176 games in the NFL, primarily for the Los Angeles Rams—was allegedly one of the final actors considered for the role of Sam Malone on Cheers. From musicians to actors and many in between, there are any number of ways to become widely known. Ever go down a Wiki-hole about your fave actors… Most of these athletes played two or more sports from a young age – especially in high school – before deciding to usually concentrate on just one sport professionally. Some of your favorite actors were high school heroes, some were college all-stars, and some even made it to the biggest stages of their sports. Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Amy Sangermano/Disney Parks via Getty Images, Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for City Year Los Angeles, Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for AFI, Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Montclair Film Festival, Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures, The comedian played soccer, basketball, baseball, and football — he even set a school record for, Photo by Stefania M. D'Alessandro/Getty Images for Giffoni Film Festival, National Collegiate Football Foundation award, placed fifth in the state wrestling competition, Here's where 50 celebrities went to college. Celebrities have become regular (and regularly photographed) attendees at professional baseball and basketball games and, of course, the Super Bowl halftime show has always been an entertaining spectacle of big-name musical celebrities amid the year’s most-watched sporting event. He played one season with the Boston Celtics (1946-1947) after graduating from Seton Hall and serving in the Army. Denzel Washington. All in the name of wins and productivity.". Here is a look at 10 celebrities who played college basketball. But when he was a kid, there was only one thing on his mind — and it was no where close to a screen or a stage. Frank Dillane starred in the 2018 drama "Viena and the Fantomes" with Dakota Fanning. He also signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers, but played only 1 game for the Dodgers (1949) spending much of his time in the Dodgers minor league system. He went on to a successful acting career, most notably as the titular star of the 80s action show Hunter. The singer ran hurdles and actually went to the state championships while in high school. However, he admitted to the Chicago Tribune back in 2012 that because his grades were terrible, his scholarship offer was rescinded, and he transferred to Glenville State College on another football scholarship. He told People back in 2015 that he used sports to let out his frustrations. Sports movies are an important part of what might be called the "culture" of sports. Except for playing minor league baseball, Kurt Russell never gave up his acting … She medaled in the 75-meter low hurdles. If he isn’t filming, promoting, or creating a game show, he’s working out. Top 15 Celebs Who Could Play Pro Sports. These great sportsmen and sportswomen are taken from a variety of sports including football, athletics, cycling, gymnastics, baseball, boxing, cycling and more. It's tough to make it as an actor or a professional athlete, and tougher still for one person to accomplish both. "I was only playing to keep that scholarship. He played basketball and football, but, growing up in Texas, his focus was football. You’d think that celebrities who make millions starring on the big screen spent all of their time in acting studios, Shakespeare performances, and modeling sessions. Mustache-less, Selleck attended USC on a basketball scholarship. As much as we love to debate who should be the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, or whether or not a Besides professional athletes, celebrities take many forms in the United States. Jun 14, 2018 - The latest edition of celebrity spotting features Alia Bhatt, John Abraham, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Daisy Shah and Soha Ali Khan. He's very hard working and not easily discouraged.". After his injury, he turned to the arts. Some celebrities not only competed in the Olympic Games, such as American pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock (he won a gold … Jones was an offensive guard on Harvard's team and was nominated as a first-team All-Ivy League selection. "He was a really good player," he said. 20). From musicians to actors and many in between, there are any number of ways to become widely known. He was the captain of his high school football team. She told The Hollywood Reporter that while she was good at track, dance was her true passion. Vinnie Jones is an English actor who has starred in movies such as Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Gone in 60 Seconds. After sustaining a back injury, Whitaker transferred to the University of Southern California on a music scholarship where he focused on voice and then continued acting training at the Berkeley branch of the Drama Studio London. But a handful of pro athletes have managed to parley their fame into a Hollywood career. She was part of the Westlake High School volleyball team and the University of Florida volleyball team. She cites tennis as her favorite sport though. Ferrell was named a co-owner of Los Angeles FC in 2016. Though he never made it to the Olympics, he competed at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.