Professional wrestlers making a leap to Hollywood is, at this point, no uncommon move. With them being trained in drama and possessing an innate physicality (and physical attributes) that are an action director’s dream, the last few decades have seen stars made out of the likes of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and John Cena, with dozens of others appearing in scattered roles.
On one hand, it’s solid career planning. Professional wrestling beats your body up, and if you don’t want to be hobbling to the ring for your paycheck, it’s nice to have other streams of income. However, it also risks the chance of exposing your weaknesses. When Dave Bautista, the muscle-bound main eventer who dominated the WWE in the 2000s and early 2010s, decided to devote himself to acting, the biggest fear was that his in-ring charisma would not translate to onscreen adventures.
