Films

Terrible Acting Roles That Made Sports Stars Look Ridiculous

Darren Ryding - August 18, 2024
Films

Terrible Acting Roles That Made Sports Stars Look Ridiculous

Darren Ryding - August 18, 2024

Athletes have short careers so many of them look for other ways to make money. Hollywood can be a popular destination for many major stars because there are often opportunities for lucrative acting roles. But very few stars have careers like The Rock made for himself after his days as a football player and professional wrestler were over. Many of them have roles that make them look ridiculous.

So today we’ll look at some of the worst movies and roles that sports stars appeared in. There are some horrible ones that very few remember anymore and for good reason. Check out these garbage acting roles right here because they’re hilariously awful.

Sports Illustrated

Michael Jordan – Space Jam

Space Jam is one of the most iconic movies on this list but that doesn’t mean that it was great. However, movies don’t always have to be four hours long to be entertaining. This was also during the height of Michael Jordan’s fame in the ’90s when everything he touched turned to gold.

GQ

However, there’s no pretending that his performance was anything groundbreaking. Jordan was wooden and uninspiring as he played himself saving the world alongside the Looney Tunes cast. It made him look ridiculous but it could also be argued that’s what’s so endearing about this classic kid’s movie (via GQ).

Yardbreaker

Dan Marino – Ace Ventura

What was it about the ’90s and elite athletes appearing in offbeat comedies? Marino was one of the top quarterbacks of his era and set many passing records. He never won a Super Bowl but he was a brilliant passer in terms of stats. However, he wasn’t a great actor as his performance in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective revealed.

IMDb

It didn’t help that he starred across from the manic ball of energy that was peak Jim Carrey. Marino’s stiff acting is hilarious for all of the wrong reasons because he’s so bad. Ultimately, it didn’t damage his legacy and the cameo helped the film’s popularity. But it still made him look ridiculous (via Slant Magazine).

The Guardian

Tony Bellew – Creed

Somehow Bellew has managed to carve out a niche for himself in the Creed series. We don’t know how he’s blackmailing Michael B. Jordan but he must have something because he’s a garbage actor. It made him look ridiculous but it also affected his ability to go unnoticed in the U.S.

The Bulwark

Bellew explained his regrets about the series. He said, “Once that movie dropped, it changed everything for me. It really did. From profile to people knowing who I am and where I’m going. And I used to enjoy going on holiday and having a mess around with the lads (via Off the Ball).

NBC News

Phil Mickelson – Entourage

Lefty once made a forgotten appearance on HBO’s Entourage. The chief reason why nobody remembers it is because it was uninspiring and insipid. The hit TV show even took shots at his infamous blowup but couldn’t make that stick either. It made Mickelson look ridiculous but no one cared.

Sky Sports

This was so bad that nobody even talked about how garbage it was. It’s as though the world decided to unanimously wipe humanity’s brain clean of what they witnessed. Actor Jerry Ferrera said that Mickelson’s performance was good but that was probably a contractual obligation (via Golf.com).

Fortress of Solitude

Shaquille O’Neal – Steel

Most sports fans know that Shaq has a great personality. But no one would have guessed that if they only knew him from his movie career. In short, it was an unmitigated disaster for the NBA icon. All of his roles made him look ridiculous because they weren’t good and he was a terrible actor (via Inverse).

Slate

Steel was probably his worst performance because he earned a Razzie for it. However, choosing his best feature is like trying to pick a favorite turd from the toilet bowl. Kazaam was another dreadful showing that had no redeemable qualities. Thankfully, O’Neal left the acting world behind him soon after because it was garbage.

Geek Tyrant

Dwayne Johnson – The Mummy Returns

We caveat this by saying that Johnson got a spin-off franchise from his short appearance in The Mummy Returns. However, there’s no denying that this one didn’t age well. It wasn’t the worst acting of his career but that doesn’t say much. But the CGI was garbage of the highest order and looks horrible now.

Slash Film

Johnson’s half-man half-scorpion tries to kill Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz but fails miserably. Nonetheless, The Scorpion King franchise emerged from this and ignited Johnson’s career. This wasn’t so bad at the time because they didn’t know better. But the movie did make him look ridiculous (via The Sportster).

CNBC

Darius Miles – The Perfect Score

The Perfect Score starred younger versions of Chris Evans and Scarlett Johanssen. But despite having the two future Avengers involved it wasn’t a success. The critics hated the movie and it was also a box office failure. Meanwhile, there was one major athlete who made a brief appearance.

Rotten Tomatoes

We have no idea why they picked Miles for this role. It’s about high school students under pressure to pass their SATs. But Miles didn’t even do his SATs in real life so we don’t think he went method for this one. This is a weird movie that no one remembers and the world is probably better for that (via Yardbreaker).

People

Arnold Schwarzenegger – Batman And Robin

Many people don’t see Schwarzenegger as an athlete anymore because he had such a successful movie career. Then he became the Governor of California after a shock entry into the world of politics. However, while he had some iconic roles like Predator and Commando, there were also some misses.

Batman News

Batman and Robin was one of the worst movies he starred in because it made him look ridiculous. He played Mr. Freeze in the disappointing superhero flick and had some incredibly cheesy lines. It was so bad that it was almost good because he delivered them in such a deadpan way (via Collider).

CNN

Serena Williams – The Glass Onion

Williams made a cameo in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel in 2022. The movie made her look ridiculous but not in a bad way like most of the people on this list. It was nice to see her on the big screen after she retired from professional tennis. She played an online coach version of herself in one scene.

People

It was funny because she was at the beck and call of a psychotic billionaire. This wasn’t what most people expected when they saw her on the big screen for the first time. Williams has charisma so it wouldn’t be a shock if she decided to pursue a long-term acting career (via Tennis World).

Sports Illustrated

Terry Bradshaw – Hooper

NFL legend Bradshaw dipped his feet into the acting world after he retired. He mostly made cameos as himself before he finally took a proper role in 1978’s Hooper. He starred opposite Burt Reynolds but nobody was talking about him winning Oscars after. It didn’t get good reviews and made him look ridiculous.

FilmMagic

However, Bradshaw admitted that he didn’t treat acting like it was important. His biography says (via Rotten Tomatoes): “Like most other things in my life other than family, football, and my ranch, I didn’t really take it very seriously. The opportunity was offered to me because of my football popularity, and I accepted it.”

Looper

Dennis Rodman – Double Team

It’s not challenging to make Rodman look ridiculous because he’s a master of being weird. After all, this is the man who traveled to North Korea because he wanted to hang out with his buddy Kim Jong-Un. This was one of the strangest things ever but Rodman has a long history for the surreal.

Mubi

The former Pistons star once appeared in The Mighty Ducks franchise. But the shining moment of his acting career saw him appear in Double Team with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Mickey Rourke. There’s nothing positive to say about this movie so let’s stop talking about it right now (via Cracked).

L.A. Times

Dwayne Johnson – The Tooth Fairy

Johnson has enjoyed an incredibly successful movie career since he left WWE. The former professional wrestler soared to superstardom after movies like The Scorpion King. Meanwhile, he won acclaim for Moana and has been in many action franchises. But there’s also been some turkeys along the way as we’ve seen.

The Things

The Tooth Fairy is arguably the most humiliating movie on his resume. Johnson played a minor league hockey player who transforms into a fairy after a curse hits him. It’s a dumb premise and it makes him look embarrassing. Nobody expected to see The Rock wearing a tutu and wings but that’s what we got (via The Guardian).

CNN

Tom Brady – Stuck On You

This was before Brady cemented his legacy as one of the greatest athletes in history. He was still floating in Brock Purdy territory but was on the brink of superstardom. He appeared in the 2003 movie Stuck On You alongside Matt Damon but wasn’t a tour de force on the big screen.

AP

Brady had no charisma and failed to convince anybody that he was a decent actor. Maybe Damon just wanted to hang out with the young quarterback and handpicked him to be his partner. It was a strange decision but it didn’t stop him from making further forays into acting. Nobody can say that he’s afraid to look ridiculous (via Time).

Billboard

Terry Crews – White Chicks

Everybody knows that White Chicks is a garbage movie but they’re missing the point. Some terrible films are so bad that they become cult classics. It’s funny because it’s so terrible and that’s why so many people love it. It also delivered one of the most iconic moments of Crews’ career.

CNN

The former NFL star famously sang along to Vanessa Carlton’s Thousand Miles. Yes, it made him look ridiculous but he fully embraced it and owned the moment. It’s brilliant when somebody is secure enough to have fun and be silly. Crews become a national treasure after this classic scene (via Uproxx).

Washington Post

Caitlyn Jenner – Can’t Stop The Music

Can’t Stop the Music has the dubious honor of being the first winner of the Golden Raspberry Award. That probably says everything we need to know about this steaming heap of waste. EMI Films decided to exploit Jenner’s fame as a three-time Olympic decathlete champion but it didn’t go well.

Time Magazine

Jenner starred in this atrocious movie about The Village People but she failed to elevate it. Critics slammed her performance because she was garbage. It went down as one of the worst-reviewed films of 1980 and instantly killed Jenner’s acting career. However, she had reality TV success so she won’t mind too much (via The Spool).

Rolling Stone

Hulk Hogan – Santa With Muscles

Hogan was arguably the biggest wrestling star of his generation. He broke into the mainstream and everybody knew who he was. It was no shock when he decided to pursue a movie career. However, it’s easy to look ridiculous on the big screen; unfortunately, that was the reality for Hogan.

IMDb

His movies were complete garbage including Santa With MusclesMr. Nanny, and Suburban Commando. They’re some of the worst-rated films ever and there’s not much more to say. However, Hogan made some money from these straight-to-video productions so he didn’t mind (via Flick Chart).

CNN

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Slam Dunk Earnest

Abdul-Jabbar had an iconic cameo in Airplane! so there’s no denying that he had acting chops. But he also appeared in the terrible Slam Dunk Earnest and deserves criticism for that. The former NBA champion was one of the first true basketball superstars and had a massive fanbase.

People

This direct-to-video comedy belongs in the garbage can because it’s so bad. Abdul-Jabbar played an angel in the movie that guided Earnest to success. It’s one of the most tenuous plots in history and it made him look ridiculous. The only good thing is that not many people watched it (via TV Guide).

NBC Sports

Chuck Liddell – War Pigs

Liddell was one of the UFC’s first true stars. He helped popularize the promotion alongside the likes of Tito Ortiz. “The Iceman” became an iconic figure with his mohawk and blue shorts. His devastating berserker style made him a fan favorite and won him opportunities outside of the cage.

Mubi

The former UFC champion appeared in several movies throughout his career. Arguably, the worst was 2015’s War Pigs because it was a terrible action movie. It made Liddell look ridiculous because he couldn’t act to save his life. Dolph Lundgren and Mickey Rourke also starred in the straight-to-video movie (via USA Today Sports).

Seattle Seahawks

Brian Bosworth – Stone Cold

Bosworth was one of the biggest NFL prospects of his era but failed to live up to expectations. However, he became a superstar because of his iconic look. He decided to embark on a movie career and fronted the action thriller Stone Cold. But this made The Expendables look like Citizen Kane because it was so bad.

Ride Apart

The entire movie is available to watch for free on YouTube but no one cares. If someone wants to waste a couple of hours of their life then go ahead. Bosworth also appeared in The Longest Yard but didn’t exactly elevate that either. It’s safe to say that his acting made him look ridiculous (via Forbes).

Bleacher Report

Wilt Chamberlain – Conan The Destroyer

Chamberlain was an iconic NBA player with one of the greatest records ever. It’s no surprise that he was a huge star at the peak of his career. This towering hulk of a man spent the bulk of his career in Philadelphia and was a two-time NBA Champion. Meanwhile, he also had a short movie career as we saw in Conan The Destroyer.

Google Play

He was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s antagonist Bombaata in the film. The best part about it was that he was able to swing a gigantic mace. But he wore a silly costume and his lumbering movements made him look ridiculous. It was one of the weirdest on-screen fights ever because it was so stiff (via SBNation).

CNN

Caroline Wozniacki – Ballers

Wozniacki is one of those high-level athletes who are always there but rarely wins anything. She finally claimed her first Major in 2018 before sailing off into the sunset. The beautiful Danish tennis player popped up on TV screens when she appeared in Ballers. Maybe she should have taken acting lessons because it wasn’t great.

TODAY

She even plays herself in the short appearance but is as bland as a bowl of plain rice. There’s not much more to say about this except that nobody will be pushing for her to pursue acting full-time. Nonetheless, it’s nice to know that elite athletes aren’t good at everything (via Tennis Now).

Bleacher Report

Shawn Bradley – Space Jam

Everybody talks about Michael Jordan when it comes to Space Jam. But it’s easy to forget that M.J. wasn’t the only big basketball star in the hit movie. Bradley also appeared in the film but he didn’t have a major role. He was part of the team that took on the evil aliens in the big game.

Grantland

Bradley’s dismal performance had less soul than the average cadaver. The reality is that most people forget that he was in it. This says a lot about his acting skills because they’re nonexistent. But he got a nice fat check from the movie so he’s probably laughing all the way to the bank (via Grantland).

Sportsnet

Quinton Jackson – The A-Team

B.A. Baracus was one of the most iconic action characters of the 1980s. Mr. T became synonymous with The A-Team so it was a big deal when the 2010 movie recast the role. ‘Rampage’ Jackson stepped into Mr. T’s shoes and most people agreed it made sense. The former UFC star had the right look and swagger.

IMDb

But he didn’t have the acting chops to make a statement on the big screen. It didn’t help that the movie was very average anyway. However, fans expected more charisma and energy from ‘Rampage’ and they didn’t get it. It’s a shame because it could have been the start of something special (via TV Guide).

IMDb

Bob Sapp – The Longest Yard

We know that some people love The Longest Yard because it’s dumb and easy to watch. But we hate to break the news that this doesn’t mean it’s a good movie. The film has an eclectic cast with Adam Sandler in the lead role. Sapp is one of the most random supporting actors but he didn’t add much.

IMDb

The gigantic heavyweight fighter spent most of his career in Japan where he became a superstar. He famously went 14 fights without a win before snapping a losing streak (via MMA Fighting). In the end, The Longest Yard made him look ridiculous but few people escaped from this without damaging their reputations.

C-Net

Gina Carano – The Mandalorian

Carano wasn’t terrible in The Mandalorian because she played the type of one-dimensional action character she favored. However, it’s what happened after that made her look ridiculous. Disney was set to give her a spin-off show before she spouted conspiracy nonsense and they fired her.

L.A. Times

But Carano was always a garbage actor with a good look. She starred in Haywire, a typical by-the-numbers action flick. Then she popped up in random franchises like Deadpool and Fast and Furious. However, nobody cried about her losing her place in Hollywood because she didn’t add much (via Roger Egbert).

AP

Brett Favre – There’s Something About Mary

Many athletes make cameos as themselves in movies and TV shows. It’s simple enough to do on paper because they don’t have to create a new character. But Favre managed to fail miserably when he appeared in There’s Something About Mary. We’ve seen wooden coffins with more life in them than Brett’s performance.

Sports Illustrated

Ben Stiller does his best to carry Favre through the only scene he features in. It’s a moment for Favre to charm the audience and build a cult reputation. However, it didn’t work out and instead, it made him look ridiculous. Favre’s acting career fizzled out very quickly (via CBS Sports).

Sports Net

Chris Bosh – First Ink

This was one of the most pointless videos ever and we feel bad for anybody who watched it. Bosh was a great player but the least interesting of Miami’s big three during his heyday. However, he still made a straight-to-DVD film about his efforts to transform his body.

YouTube

The title refers to Bosh’s new back tattoo while he also attempts to gain weight. Welcome to the most wasteful 30 minutes of life ever. There’s nothing good to say about it and it made him look ridiculous. Somehow we doubt that it made much money either because it was so bad (via CTV).

CBS

LeBron James – Space Jam 2

We all know that James is the biggest basketball star of his generation and arguably ever. We’ve seen him follow in Michael Jordan’s footsteps with shoe deals and movie appearances. He became the face of Space Jam 2 in 2021 but the movie didn’t do very well.

NBC

First, there was the dumbest controversy ever because Lola Bunny didn’t look attractive enough. But the problem was that the movie didn’t have the magic of the original. This was a problem because James didn’t have the charisma to carry it. He was genuinely good in movies like Trainwreck and Hustle but this wasn’t great (via USA Today).

Teen Vogue

Ronda Rousey – Furious 7

Rousey became a superstar after her success with the UFC. The former bantamweight champion attracted criticism when she dabbled in the film industry during her fighting career. In hindsight, nobody can blame her for this because she made more money. But they can’t pretend that she was a natural actor because that’s not true.

Game Spot

She had roles in the likes of Furious 7 and The Expendables 3. However, fans thought that these movies made her look ridiculous because they were so wooden. Yes, she can pull off an action sequence but don’t ask her to say anything because a rock has more expression (via Nicki Swift).

New York Times

Lance Armstrong – Dodgeball

Few cameos aged as badly as this one. On the face of it, Armstrong’s acting wasn’t bad as he played himself in the 2004 comedy. He motivates Vince Vaughn’s Peter LaFleur as he reminds him of how he won the Tour De France after recovering from cancer. However, this was before Armstrong’s shocking drug scandal.

IMDb

Everyone knows about his systemic doping but it wasn’t official back then. Armstrong was still an inspiring figure and that’s why it’s impossible not to cringe when rewatching this moment. However, it’s also a little funny because it shows how naive people were. Hopefully, they address it in the sequel because it made them look ridiculous (via Flicks.com).

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