The famous pro-wrestler André René Roussimoff became massively popular between the 1970s and 1980s for his incredible height. Standing at 7’4,” he kind of looked like another species. His freakish stature earned him the nickname André, the Giant. Makes sense. After his wrestling career, his foreboding appearance landed him in many movies as a villain.
Naturally, he appeared alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Destroyer, but it wasn’t until he got to star in The Princess Bride that he became the most popular giant on screen ever. His character Fezzik was the one giant obstacle to cherished Westley. That performance garnered him worldwide fame.
Chuck Norris
Here’s someone for whom fortune knocked twice. Chuck Norris, a martial arts champion, was a karate instructor for Steve McQueen before hitting the big screen. In fact, it was McQueen who talked him into a Hollywood career. Norris picked up karate in Korea while serving the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s. The point is, he does not only play a fighter on TV, but he is also an undefeated martial arts champion since 1968.
Check out this skill set: Norris holds a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Judo. That makes three black belts. Plus, he developed his own fighting method called Chun Kuk Do. In the film, those self-defense moves have venerated the man into a mythological legend. Perhaps you’ve seen him in action in Good Guys Wear Black, Code of Silence, or The Delta Force?
John David Washington
It's not surprising that Denzel Washington's son is making it big in acting. What is surprising is that John David Washington was a successful football player before hitting Hollywood. While he may have some big shoes to fill, he looks as if he is filling them just fine!
After four seasons with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League, the young actor jumped into the critically acclaimed "BlacKkKlansman," alongside the incredibly talented Adam Driver. We're definitely waiting for Washington.
Ellen DeGeneres
Can you imagine Ellen DeGeneres in anything other than a white suit, sitting on a white couch? Even going back years to her sitcom and standup days, it's almost impossible to imagine Ellen doing anything that's not throwing little funny and endearing quips at her enthusiastic audience.
Once upon a time how the beloved comic was actually trying out for a tennis career, clearly her sport of choice as they tend to favor a white dress code. The comedienne even appeared in the odd celebrity tennis tournament, playing once against tennis star Naomi Osaka and basketball legend Michal B.Jordan.
Dolph Lundgren
He’s a martial arts champion with a master’s degree in chemical engineering. On top of that, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT. On the way to MIT, Dolph Lundgren was sidetracked into an acting career starring as arch-enemy Ivan Drago in the Rocky franchise. Lundgren was a Masters of the Universe and Universal Soldier action movie star too.
Fortune knocked quite a few times for this Swede. As an action film star, he performed his own stunts, obviously. Besides training in martial arts, he’s also a bodybuilder. Filming Rocky IV, when Sylvester Stallone told Lundgren to keep it real in the ring, Lundgren delivered a chest punch that laid Stallone up in the intensive care unit for four days with “all these nuns around,” according to the Rocky legend.