12 Athletes Who Became Actors

At just 36 years old, Ronda Rousey has had an incredible career in a number of different sports fields, including judo, mixed martial arts, and wrestling. Rousey, the daughter of AnnMaria De Mars, who was the first woman to win a gold medal at the 1984 World Judo Championships, followed in her mother’s footsteps and began judo at a young age, per Biography. When she was 17, she was the youngest person to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games, and she went on to win bronze, silver, and gold medals at a variety of competitions, including the Olympic Pan American Championships and World Championships. She gave up judo for MMA in 2010, where she worked her way up to becoming the first woman to sign with the UFC in 2012. During her career in MMA, Rousey held a 12-2 record, and she ultimately retired in 2016 following losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, as reported by ESPN. In addition to her current professional wrestling career with the WWE, Rousey also dabbles in acting. She appeared in her first feature film, “The Expendables 3,” in 2014 and has starred in action films, TV shows, and more since her onscreen debut.

Notable Works: “The Expendables 3,” “Furious 7, “Entourage,” “Mile 22,” “9-1-1”