7 Celebrities Who Started Out In Sports

Sports and stardom go together

Damjan

• Published in Film & TV
• February 11, 2023

Sports and stardom go together like peanut butter and jelly! While some A-listers might have struggled to keep up in the world of sports in high school, some of these celebs have achieved incredible athletic feats - from the Olympics to pro wrestling to college sprinting!

The competitive and pressurized nature of the sports world is similar to the life of a celebrity in the entertainment industry, so it is not surprising that there is a connection between these two professional pursuits. Both require talent, hard work, and dedication to making a name for oneself in order to be successful.

Sports are a challenging and competitive field, requiring immense amounts of dedication and hard work. Individuals who compete in sports must strive to be their best and put their all into every practice and every game.

They must be willing to push themselves to the limits and work hard to achieve their goals. Let's take a look at 7 famous people who have kept their sports careers going, even after their rise to fame.

From 'Orange is the New Black' star Uzo Aduba to actor/comedian Terry Crews, the sporting world has seen its fair share of celebs. But who knew they were such stars on the field too?

1. Terry Crews

Terry Crews, 54 years old, gained a full football scholarship to Western Michigan University before taking on the role of Terry Jeffords in the sitcom Brooklyn 99. He was then selected as a first-round draft pick in the 1991 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, beginning his professional football career.

He went on to play for the San Diego Chargers and the Washington Commanders before retiring and beginning to pursue a career in acting. He is well-known for his roles in Everybody Hates Chris as Julius Rock, White Chicks in 2004, and the Expendables movie series from 2010 to 2014.

Most recently, he began hosting America’s Got Talent in 2019 as well as the spinoff series America’s Got Talent: The Champions.

2. Uzo Aduba

Uzo Aduba has been recognized twice with Emmys and twice with SAG awards for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. However, few people know that the 41-year-old is also a talented athlete.

While a student at Boston University, Aduba was one of the school's top sprinters and came close to breaking the 55-meter record of 7.03 seconds, clocking in at 7.07 seconds. After college, Aduba continued running and participated in the 2013 New York City Marathon and the 2015 Boston Marathon.

3. Caitlyn Jenner

Before her rise to fame, Caitlyn Jenner was already a popular celebrity due to her impressive athletic accomplishments, such as winning an Olympic gold medal in the men’s decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

Since then, Jenner has cultivated her career as a television personality, having appeared in the reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. In 2015, the Republican star of 72 years old came out as transgender and launched her own series, I Am Cait, which detailed Jenner’s journey of gender transition.

Jenner has also been active in politics, having run unsuccessfully as a substitute candidate in the 2021 California recall election for governor, where she only received 1% of the votes.

4. The Rock

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a well-known face on the big screen, but many people remember him from his professional wrestling days. He had an illustrious career in the WWE between the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning 10 world championships and earning the nickname “The Rock” from his trash-talking.

Johnson left WWE in 2004, but he returned as a part-time performer from 2011-2013 before finally retiring in 2019. Before he even considered wrestling, Johnson had a successful football career, attending the University of Miami Hurricanes on a full scholarship and playing for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.

Unfortunately, he was cut after two months due to an injury, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise.

5. Cody Simpson

Cody Simpson brought glory to Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham when he won gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. But Simpson is more than just a world-class swimmer; he's also a celebrated singer with four solo studio albums to his name: Paradise (2012), Surfers Paradise (2013), Free (2015), and Cody Simpson (2022).

It is fitting that Simpson was chosen to perform "I Still Call Australia Home" for the Queen at Buckingham Palace and also took part in the Queen’s Baton Relay to mark the start of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

6. Vinnie Jones

Vinnie Jones, the 57-year-old actor, has a reputation for being a tough guy on the football field. His 15-year career saw him play for Queens Park Rangers, Wimbledon, Leeds United, and Sheffield United as a defensive midfielder.

Jones is most notably remembered for his time at Wimbledon, where he was a member of the Crazy Gang era. His willingness to make violent tackles helped the team win the 1988 FA Cup. Besides his successful football career, Jones has also made a name for himself in the movie industry.

He has appeared in films like Snatch (2000), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Mean Machine (2001), and Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).

7. Jason Statham

Prior to taking on action roles in films, Jason Statham was best known for his character Deckard Shaw in the Fast & Furious movie series. From a young age, he developed a strong passion for diving, eventually making the British national diving team.

Statham competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Henderson, New Zealand, finishing last. Although he was ranked as high as 12th in the world for platform diving, Statham was disqualified from the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics

Sports are a challenging and competitive field that requires athletes to give their best in order to succeed. From the time an athlete begins to train for their sport, they are met with a host of challenges that require hard work, determination, and dedication in order to overcome.

The competition in sports is often fierce, as athletes face off against each other in order to prove who is the best. And that prepares them for a career in showbiz, right?

Damjan