Really Enjoyable Athlete Acting Performances

Many people dream of what it would be like to play sports professionally, while, on the flip side, plenty of superstar athletes yearn to explore life beyond sports. 

Historically, the film and television industries have been remarkably accommodating to such interests, graciously affording sports stars with the opportunity to test their mettle in front of the camera—as actors rather than as athletes.  

Of course, over the years, plenty of athletes have been more than willing to take Hollywood up on its offers, some with more success than others.

In rare instances, however, some athletes have made the transition to acting appear seamless, inhabiting a specific role as if they were born to do so.

In the 1970s, for example, Carl Weathers forgot all about football in favor of the big screen and, through the legendary part of Apollo Creed, helped make Rocky an unforgettable classic. 

Similarly, in the late 1980s, Bob Uecker put his baseball experience to good use in Major League, bringing the uncouth Harry Doyle to life and audiences to their feet.

Finally, and even more recently, NBA star Ray Allen turned from serious baller to serious actor, delivering both substance and believability as the star of He Got Game. 

With these commendable performances in mind, we've created a list to honor an elite group of athletic actors, specifically highlighting 12 Really Enjoyable Athlete Acting Performances.

Some of our selected performances include sports stars in leading roles, while others show them excelling through more complementary parts. No matter what, though, for either a long or short while, each athlete managed to astound and amuse audiences with his or her sudden and noticeable skill on screen.  

Note: some of the videos that follow are Not Safe For Work, so proceed with caution.

Close, but No Cigar

Anonymous/Associated Press

After football, Alex Karras played Mongo in Blazing Saddles and starred in Webster.

Though we've chosen to highlight our favorite 12 athlete acting performances, there are plenty of others worthy acknowledging. This, then, is our athletic list of acting honorable mentions:

• Alex Karras, Blazing Saddles
• Rick Fox, Oz
• Jim Brown, Mars Attacks!
• Bubba Smith, Police Academy 
• Alex English, Amazing Grace and Chuck
• Ed Marinaro, Hill Street Blues
• Jason Lee, My Name is Earl
• Merlin Olsen, Little House on the Prairie
• Dwayne Johnson, The Mummy Returns
• Brett Favre, There's Something about Mary
• Fred Dryer, Hunter
• Lou Ferrigno, The Incredible Hulk
• Michael Jordan, Space Jam
• John McEnroe, Mr. Deeds

Terry Crews, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

You may not remember him as an athlete, but Terry Crews played six years of professional football, beginning in 1991, when he was drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.

More importantly, since his retirement from the game in 1996, Crews has found a comfortable home on the big screen. 

Over the years, he has appeared in countless movies—including White Chicks, Friday After Next, Training Day, Soul Plane, The Longest Yard and The Benchwarmers—while also starring as a lead pitchman for Old Spice. 

More recently, though, Crews put his best foot forward with a major role in the hit TV sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 

Playing the part of NYPD Sergeant Terry Jeffords, Crews has given life to a quirky and equally endearing character who consistently delivers laughs. 

Lawrence Taylor, "Any Given Sunday"

After 13 sensational seasons in the NFL—which included two Super Bowl rings and 10 Pro-Bowl appearances—Lawrence Taylor tried his hand at acting, with varying degrees of success. 

Though he backed his way into a number of different roles, Taylor's finest work—by far—was his role in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday.

Given the chance to play the part of Luther "Shark" Lavay—an aging linebacker to which he could so effortlessly relate—LT was both comfortable and convincing throughout the jarring film. 

And today, his powerful 1999 performance (NSFW) rings all too true; like many current NFLers, Taylor's character struggles to balance notions of long-term health with the need and desire to play the crippling game he loves. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, "Airplane!"

There's no question, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's claim to fame is the skill he once possessed on the hardwood, where he led LA to six world championships during a career that lasted more than 20 years. 

With that said, while his acting career wasn't quite as prolific, the NBA Hall of Famer had a more-than-solid run there as well.

Most notably, Abdul-Jabbar was a slam-dunk success in the 1980 classic Airplane!

Playing himself—but in the disguise of co-pilot Roger Murdock—Kareem uses clever wit and timing to deliver a stellar comedic performance and has the honor of starring in a few hilarious scenes that rank among the very best in the history of American film.     

Ray Allen, "He Got Game"

When talking Ray Allen and great performances, nothing stands out quite like his role in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. 

Well before that, though—in 1998, to be exact—Allen excelled while playing a starring role in Spike Lee's He Got Game.

As top high school recruit Jesus Shuttlesworth, Allen held his own alongside Denzel Washington and turned in the type of performance that would make most real actors proud.

In so doing, the talented and versatile shooting guard helped masterfully portray—like never before—the sleaze and temptations that have forever infected the world of big-time college recruiting. 

André René Roussimoff, "The Princess Bride"

Most people know André René Roussimoff as simply Andre the Giant, an absolutely mammoth Hall of Fame wrestler who dominated opponents from 1963-1992. 

The Giant, however, was more than just a badass in the ring; he was one on "the screen" too. 

More specifically, Roussimoff—playing the part of a giant named Fezzik in the popular comedy The Princess Bride—acted his way into America's heart as one of the most charming outlaws in the history of modern film.   

Cam Neely, "Dumb and Dumber"

Cam Neely spent 14 years in the NHL—from 1983 through 1996—playing at a Hall of Fame level for both the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins. 

And once hockey was over, Neely's acting career—though far more limited and brief—continued to earn him droves of fans. 

To be exact, the former right winger became a legend among Dumb and Dumber enthusiasts, who instantly fell for Neely's portrayal of a rugged trucker named Sea Bass. 

And though he doesn't deliver it himself, Neely's character inspires one of the film's most classic and quotable lines: "Kick his ass, Sea Bass!" 

OJ Simpson, "Naked Gun"

Before becoming a real-life villain, OJ Simpson played the lovably hilarious Officer Nordberg in The Naked Gun trilogy.

The former Heisman Trophy winner—who also made it to six Pro Bowls—works wonderfully side-by-side with Leslie Nielsen, who stars as Sergeant Frank Drebin, Nordberg's "loving" partner.

As Nordberg, Simpson successfully brings to life one of the popular film's funniest characters; the slapstick-motivated part leaves Simpson regularly wounded and audiences consistently amused. 

The Blue Chippers

In 1993, Anfernee Hardaway teamed up with Shaquille O'Neal in Orlando and took the NBA by storm.

Just one year later, the two again successfully teamed up, but in a separate and completely different way, this time in Hollywood for the one-of-a-kind film Blue Chips. 

It was the acting debut for both basketball stars, though no one could tell.

As Neon Boudeaux, Shaq was his usual dynamic self, while Hardaway played the much more reserved Butch McRae with careful precision. 

The movie was awesome—partially bolstered by a Larry Bird siting and Bob Cousy shooting clinic—and was the first and only to shoot its basketball scenes in real, unscripted fashion, a luxury no doubt made possible by Hardaway and O'Neal's immense basketball skills.  

Carl Weathers, "Rocky"

Before he became a world-renown actor, Carl Weathers played a full season with the Oakland Raiders and another in the CFL.

Weathers, though, is better known for the athletes he played on the big screen, including Apollo Creed from the classic film Rocky.

As Creed—at first Rocky's biggest rival before later becoming his best friend—Weathers captivated viewers with a charismatic, Muhammad Ali-inspired braggadocio before eventually winning them over with contagious charm. 

And if not for his standout role as the Master of Disaster, we could have just as easily touted Weathers for the hilarious part he played in Happy Gilmore as the one and only Chubbs Peterson.  

Dan Marino, "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"

We would never call Dan Marino—one of the all-time great quarterbacks—a great actor.

He does, though, put forth an all-time hilarious, albeit brief, performance in the 1994 classic comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

Acting opposite the great Jim Carrey can be a daunting ask, but it's one Marino handles with success.

Playing himself, the Miami gunslinger is at least partially responsible for some of the film's most memorable moments, like when he helps Ventura prove that Lois Einhorn is really a man, recognizing and then pointing out Einhorn's "Captain Winky." 

And, as the movie nears its end, Marino again plays part in one of the film's funniest exchanges:

As the two heroes are seen driving together in Ventura's car, Marino screams, "Hey, Ace, do you have any more of that gum?" to which the insane Ventura replies,  "That's none of your damn business and I'll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs."

Finally, Dan the Man finishes the scene off with a quip that's as overtly truthful as it is forever quotable: "You're a weird guy, Ace! Weird guy!"

Arnold Schwarzenegger, "The Terminator"

Of all the sports stars on our list, Arnold Schwarzenegger had perhaps the most unique athletic career.

Making his name through the art of bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger won the Mr. Universe title at the age of 20 and went on to win the Mr. Olympia title seven times after that.

But, in somewhat surprising fashion, Schwarzenegger had an even more prolific career in Hollywood, where he's starred in more than 30 major motion pictures, including Conan the Barbarian, Predator, Kindergarten Cop, Last Action Hero and The Expendables.

His most memorable role, however, came in 1991 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which to this day remains one of the greatest action films in cinematic history.

Though his lines were somewhat limited for an actor with a leading role, Schwarzenegger made a name for himself as one of the film industry's ultimate badass heroes and, in the process, also managed to deliver one of its most iconic lines: Hasta la vista, baby!

Bob Uecker, "Major League"

It simply doesn't get better than Bob Uecker's performance in the brilliantly funny trilogy Major League. 

In fact, his role as disillusioned Cleveland Indians broadcaster Harry Doyle was so instantly classic that many younger movie watchers forget—or never knew—that Mr. Baseball was a World Series champion in 1964 and a fine play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers after that. 

In truth, whatever the hilarious Uecker touches turns to gold, or at least to silver, though his time as Doyle takes the cake.

Uecker's obviously relevant experience—both playing and covering baseball—and natural penchant for humor made him perfect for the part, which is laugh-out-loud funny. 

Forced to cover the downtrodden Indians, Doyle absolutely reeks of apathy and alcohol, and the combination makes for nothing but pure comedic gold (NSFW).