Bodybuilding is one of the few ‘sports’ in the world that will so completely transform your body that you won’t even be recognizable to people who knew you growing up. As a result many bodybuilders completely change their lives and find new doors opening up for them. It’s no secret that Hollywood loves their chiseled action heroes and bodybuilders are some of the most chiseled men and women on the planet. We decided to look up and see just how many bodybuilders went on to become active Hollywood actors. The results might surprise you! Listed below are the Giants of Cinema: 12 bodybuilders who went on to become famous actors!
Peter and David Paul
Not everyone is going to make it in Hollywood but there are some folks that last just long enough to make a statement. Peter and David Paul are brother bodybuilders who made their debut in Hollywood back in 1987 and immediately won a pair of awards. Of course the awards that the Paul brothers won were Golden Raspberry Awards which are given out solely for poor performances in terrible movies. The Paul brothers won “Worst New Stars” for their work in The Barbarians but they are still going strong, picking up the occasional job as it shows up. The royalty checks, we’re sure, make for nice insurance against lost income in their older age.
Peter and David Paul
Gordon Scott
We jump straight to another bodybuilder turned actor, only this time we’re going to talk about one of the more capable transitions on the entire list: Gordon Scott. Though Gordon Scott has since passed on, he became one of the most successful fitness model – turned actors in the world thanks to his work in the Tarzan movie series. Scott appeared in 27 different movies in his career despite only working for 12 years. Scott eventually retired from acting at the age of 40 and nobody really knows why. Scott turned away from a growing industry that was casting him in increasingly diverse roles.
Gordon Scott
Reg Park
Reg Park may not be a household name in America but he certainly became one in Europe. Park was turn away from his job as a gym owner and bodybuilder and become completely wrapped up in Italian cinema. Reg would play Hercules in four different films, gaining acclaim from fans everywhere, as well as playing the part of Samson in another picture back in the ’60s. Park would become an inspiration for many of the bodybuilders on this list despite his relatively short career. Park passed away back in 2007 at the age of 79. He called Arnold Schwarzenegger a pupil and a friend.
Reg Park
Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu was the real deal back in his time and since then people are still trying to find weight loss diet programs to achieve both his size and his leanness. Franco competed for My Olympia, and won, back in 1976 and he would place 5th in the first World’s Strongest Man competition. Culumbu would suffer a life threatening leg injury, on live TV, that doctors told him he would never recover form. However Culumbu recovered and took up acting at the same time, scoring roles in Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator as the T-800 that so dominates the screen.
Franco Columbu
David Prowse
David Prowse is the man who gave Star Wars favorite, Darth Vader, physical life. Prowse was cast as Darth Vader in the famous science fiction series before his voice was ultimately dubbed out in favor of another actor. Prowse could have used at least some cheap insurance from George Lucas in order to keep his voice in the movie. Alas, while many people know of Prowse’s work as Vader very few know that the Bristol native was a bodybuilder growing up. He would enter competitions as a teenager and routinely win, due in large part to his natural size.
David Prowse
Ralf Moeller
Ralf Moeller is a big bad dude and one of the modern bodybuilders making a name for himself in the world of cinema. Moeller won Mr. Universe before shifting focus into acting. Since then he’s scored roles in major films like Gladiator, The Scorpion King, and even Universal Soldier. Moeller is a German actor who makes his way back home to do movies in his native tongue, though he is still active in Hollywood. So far Moeller has been in 46 different titles — a huge success for a bodybuilder turned actor.
Ralf Moeller
Mickey Hargitay
Mickey Hargitay has quite the history when it comes to making it into Hollywood. Hargitay was a high level speed skater before he decided to get into bodybuilding. Hargitay was inspired by Steve Reeves and this led him to win the Mr. Universe title back in 1955. Hargitay would go on to land some heavy duty roles in his career: grabbing 19 credits along the way. His daughter, Mariska Hargitay, is a hugely successful television actor with a Golden Globe next to her name. Mariska Hargitay is a regular on Law & Order: SVU with appearances in 389 episodes and counting. Mickey Hargitay even made a guest appearance on the show for an episode.
Mickey Hargitay
Bolo Yeung
Mr. Yeung is probably the envy of the majority of bodybuilders and actors out there. Yeung has been Mr. Hong Kong more than anyone else in the past couple of decades, defending the title for ten straight years. Yeung is active in Hollywood today and he has starred in over 109 different movies which include Enter the Dragon, Bloodsport, and Double Impact. He’s a bodybuilding legend and now he is becoming one of the hardest working actors in the game today. Unlike most bodybuilders, Yeung has aged gracefully and still is kicking butt on screen today.
Bolo Yeung
Steve Reeves
Steve Reeves may not be the greatest bodybuilder turned actor in the world, but he is considered by most to be the best bodybuilder of all time. Known for his incredible physique, Reeves became the Hercules by which all others would end up being judged. Reeves was a physical specimen who turned Hollywood around by reinventing what it meant to be a muscular actor. Reeves starred in 23 films before retiring, eventually passing away at the age of 74.
Steve Reeves
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson never competed professionally as a bodybuilder but that doesn’t stop us from putting him on our list. In fact, the only thing stopping The Rock from going #1 is his lack of history as a bodybuilding competitor. Still, Dwayne Johnson went from a wrestler to one of the highest grossing movie stars in the world and he keeps getting better (and bigger) with age. Johnson is a new age fitness God for the modern man and his Instagram posts are the fuel with which many competitive bodybuilders start their day. He looks better at 44 years old than most professional bodybuilders look in their prime 20s. Dwayne Johnson is also the most charismatic actor in the world today.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Lou Ferrigno
He may not be the King of Bodybuilders-turned actors, but Lou Ferrigno definitely makes it onto our list as the Prince. Ferrigno has had incredible longevity in the world of acting despite not having much range on screen. Ferrigno first jumped onto TV back in ’77 when he landed the role of The Incredible Hulk. Ferrigno has aged gracefully in the world of Hollywood and continues to find roles wherever he can, typically poking fun of his past persona. One of our favorite Lou Ferrigno roles has to be from I Love You Man where Ferrigno ended up playing a parodied version of himself trying to sell his house through a quirky realtor.
Lou Ferrigno
Arnold Schwarzenegger
He is the unquestioned King of Bodybuilding and one of the true acting icons in Hollywood history (as well as a politician, but we won’t get into that). Arnold Schwarzenegger turned acting on its head when he made his Hollywood debut and since then he has continued to break every rule in the biz. Schwarzenegger has a name that’s impossible to pronounce, an accent that is hard to understand, and muscles that should keep most directors from wanting to hire him. Yet here we are, Schwarzenegger has played some of the most iconic roles in movie history (Conan, The Terminator) while also creating an entire genre for movie fans: the bulked up action beat’em up.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
