Name As Many Action Stars As Possible To Get A Big Screen Wife
- by Dylan Dembrow
- – on
- in Movies and TV
There’s a reason that action movies are often the highest-grossing movies of all time. It’s because viewers go to the movies to experience a thrill and to live vicariously through their favorite action heroes.
Characters like Indiana Jones, John McClane, and James Bond are amongst some of the most beloved movie characters of all time, which is why they’ve been around for decades. But while many people may be able to name these characters and the movies they appear in, they might not be quite as great at remembering the actors' real names.
Since many people keep up to date on the latest superhero movies and summer blockbusters, we’ll be taking a look back at some older action stars, as well as those who are currently dominating the box office thanks to franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe of The Fast and the Furious. And while these movies are great in their own right, that's no reason to forget about some of the all-time action classics, like Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Terminator, and The Matrix, just to name a few.
So let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest action stars of all time and see how many we can name to match with a big screen wife!
This action star played John McClane.
This actor is probably best known for playing John McClane in the long-running action franchise, which began back in 1988. He’s starred in a number of other action films, including The Fifth Element, Armageddon, and Looper. In 2019, he will reprise his role of David Dunn in the film Glass (Wikipedia).
This actor appeared in Mission: Impossible - Fallout.
To date, this actor has played the lead in six Mission Impossible films. The latest installment, Fallout, was released earlier this year to critical and commercial success, earning the film a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A number of other action films starring this actor include War of the Worlds and Jack Reacher (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Rush Hour.
This actor was a well-known action star in China before he would go on to earn international success. Some of his biggest films include the Rush Hour series as well as Shanghai Noon and its sequel Shanghai Knights. He is known for blending comedy into his action and for completing many of his own stunts (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Rocky.
This actor launched to stardom thanks to his role of Rocky Balboa in the 1976 film Rocky. The series has gone on to spawn a number of sequels and spin-offs, including this year’s Creed II. The action star has also enjoyed recurring roles in the Rambo and Expendables film franchises (Wikipedia).
This action star plays John Wick.
After starring in a number of comedy and drama films, this actor slowly transitioned into becoming an action star as well thanks to his work on 1991’s Point Break and 1994’s Speed. He’s also been the lead of The Matrix trilogy and the John Wick film series, which currently has a third installment in the works (Wikipedia).
This action star plays Peter Quill.
After achieving widespread recognition thanks to his role as Andy Dwyer on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, this actor got into amazing shape for the role of Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy. The film established him as an action hero and a leading man, and he would also go on to star in Jurassic World and its sequel (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Transformers: The Last Knight.
This actor has long played the “tough guy” in movies, but they were usually in dramas like The Departed and The Fighter. But more recently, this actor has been the face of the action-packed Transformers series, where he has played Cade Yeager in two installments. This year, he starred in the action thriller Mile 22 (Wikipedia).
This action star is also known as The Rock.
This actor largely began his time in showbiz working as a professional wrestler. But he slowly made the transition into the acting world, popping up in movies such as The Mummy Returns and The Rundown for his earlier films. More recently, you may have seen him in the Fast and Furious series (Wikipedia).
This action star played Batman.
This actor is probably best known for his dramatic work in films such as The Fighter, The Prestige, and The Big Short. However, he also enjoyed the honor of playing Batman in the Christopher Nolan trilogy, which is amongst the best-reviewed and highest-grossing action trilogies of all time (Wikipedia).
This action star plays James Bond.
This actor became well known as an action star when he landed the role of 007 in the long-running James Bond film series. Some of his installments include Casino Royale, Skyfall, and Spectre. He’s expected to reprise the role in one more Bond film, which is slated for a 2020 release (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Of course, not all great action stars need to be men. This actress has appeared in some of the biggest movies and franchises of all time, including the Star Trek reboot series and the Guardians of the Galaxy films. She also appeared in 2009’s Avatar, which holds the honor of being the highest-grossing movie of all time (Wikipedia).
This action star appears in the Fast and Furious series.
This actor has been the face of a number of successful action series, including The Fast and the Furious, The Chronicles of Riddick, and xXx. Many might not have realized that he’s also a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he voices the character of Groot (Wikipedia). But do you know his real name?
This action star plays Captain America.
This actor is best known for playing Steve Rogers/ Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He most recently appeared as the character in this year’s Avengers: Infinity War, which went on to become one of the highest grossing movies of all time. Some of his other action films include Fantastic Four and Snowpiercer (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Independence Day.
One of the biggest movie stars of all time, this actor got his big break when he landed the title role on the sitcom The Fresh of Bel-Air. But his acting really took off thanks to his parts in the action films Bad Boys and Independence Day. Last year, he appeared in the Netflix film Bright (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in The Transporter.
Some of this actor’s earlier action films include Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and the Transporter film series, where he played the title character of Frank Martin. He’s also appeared in the massively successful Fast and Furious franchise, and he is set to reprise his role in the upcoming spin-off, titled Hobbs & Shaw (Wikipedia).
This action star played James Bond.
Though he may not be regarded as much of an action star today, this actor is still considered by many to be the best James Bond of all time. The actor appeared in the very first 007 movie with Dr. No in 1962. He also starred alongside Harrison Ford in 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Gladiator.
In 2000, this actor played the lead character of Maximus Decimus Meridius in the historical action film Gladiator. The movie would go on to win Best Picture of the Year, as well as earn this star an Oscar for Best Actor. More recently, he appeared in the action comedy The Nice Guys (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Gran Torino.
This actor has been an action star since the 1960s. At the beginning of his time in films, he was best known for westerns, such as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and For a Few Dollars More. More recently, he’s known for both his acting and directing work (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Kickboxer.
This actor began working in martial arts at just the age of ten, which would eventually lead him to become a well-known action star. Some of his biggest films include Bloodsport and Kickboxer. In 2012, he appeared in The Expendables 2, where he played Jean Vilain (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Haywire.
This former MMA athlete has enjoyed a career as an action star, which largely began when she landed the lead role of Mallory Kane in Haywire. Since then, she has appeared in Fast & Furious 6 as well as Deadpool, where she played the adversary and sidekick known as Angel Dust (Wikipedia).
This action star played Cordell Walker.
After becoming an accomplished martial artist, this individual began to use his fighting skills to branch out into the world of action movies. But his best known project is probably the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger, which ran for eight seasons between 1993 and 2001 (Wikipedia). But do you know his real name?
This action star appeared in The One.
Like many action stars, this actor also began as a mixed martial artist before he ever took his skills to the big screen. Some of his biggest films to date include Fist of Legend, Unleashed, and The One. He also starred alongside a number of other iconic action stars in the Expendables film series (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Lethal Weapon.
Though he may be better known as a director today, this actor has starred in a number of popular action films and franchises. These include the original Mad Max series, where he portrayed the title character, as well as the Lethal Weapon films, where he starred as Martin Riggs (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Taken.
Most action stars get into the genre at a younger age. But that wasn’t the case for this Irish actor. Instead, he made a shift from dramatic work to more action-heavy roles thanks to his performance in 2008’s Taken. He would go on to reprise the role of the retired CIA agent Bryan Mills in two sequels (Wikipedia).
This action star played The Bride (AKA Beatrix Kiddo).
The actress is probably best known for playing the Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s two-part action extravaganza. Aside from this performance, the actress is more so known for her dramatic work, which is on full display in movies like Dangerous Liaisons, Pulp Fiction, and Gattaca (Wikipedia). So what's her real name?
This action star plays Thor.
Since 2011, this Australian actor has portrayed Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He most recently appeared in this year’s Avengers: Infinity War, where he tried to assist Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in defeating Thanos. Some of his other action movies include Snow White and the Huntsman and Red Dawn (Wikipedia).
This action star plays Indiana Jones.
One of the biggest blockbuster stars of all time, this actor skyrocketed to fame thanks to his role as Han Solo in the Star Wars series. His fame and action hero status were further solidified when he landed the role of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (Wikipedia).
This action star played Snake Plissken.
From drama to comedy, to action and romance, this A-list actor is able to do it all. But when it comes to the genre of action, some of his biggest movies include the ‘80s cult classics Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China. More recently, he’s appeared in Deepwater Horizon and The Fate of the Furious (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Under Siege.
After becoming an accomplished martial artist, this action star began his time as an actor with the 1998 movie Above the Law, on which he also served as a producer. More recently, many may recognize him from his real-life reality show, which follows the star as he completes work as a part-time deputy sheriff (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in The Fate of the Furious.
Often cast to play tough as nails characters, this star rose to prominence thanks to her role as Ana Lucia in the hit ABC sci-fi series Lost. Since 2001, she’s appeared in the Fast and Furious franchise, playing the character of Letty Ortiz. This year, she starred in the action heist film Widows (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Desperado.
After breaking big in films like Philadelphia and Interview with the Vampire, this actor became solidified as an action star thanks to his performances in Desperado, Assassins, and The Mask of Zorro — which were all released in the ‘90s. He’s also appeared in the Spy Kids film franchise as Greg Cortez (Wikipedia).
This action star played Jason Bourne.
Of course, this actor isn’t just known as an action star. His work in more dramatic roles, such as The Departed and The Martian, have also received their fair share of praise. But some of his biggest commercial hits have come courtesy of the Bourne series, where he plays the title character of Jason Bourne (Wikipedia).
This action star played Lara Croft.
Though she may be better known as a director and a dramatic actress today, there was a time when this star was one of the biggest females working in the action genre. This success was largely thanks to the Lara Croft series, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and the 2008 film Wanted (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Enter the Dragon.
Often regarded as one of the greatest martial artists of all time, this action star has appeared in such renowned kung fu films as Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon. Sadly, he passed away in 1973 at only the age of 32 due to a cerebral edema. Many subsequent martial artists stars have cited him as an inspiration (Wikipedia).
This action star played Katniss Everdeen.
This star is one of the most critically acclaimed actresses of her generation, having already been nominated for four Academy Award by the age of 28. She has appeared in two massively successful action franchises with the X-Men and Hunger Games film series. Earlier this year, she starred in Red Sparrow (Wikipedia).
This action star plays Iron Man.
Although this actor has been around for decades, he wasn’t really known as an action star until he landed the role of Tony Stark/ Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has now been portraying the comic book character for over a decade, with plans to appear in the next Avengers film (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Green Lantern.
Though he may be better known for his comedic abilities, this actor has also appeared in his fair share of actions movies. These include Blade: Trinity, Safe House, and Green Lantern. But he is probably best known for playing Wade Wilson in the Deadpool film series (Wikipedia). So do you know his real name?
This action star played Wolverine.
This actor first appeared as the comic book character Wolverine in the 2000 film X-Men. He finished up playing the character earlier last year with Logan, which received both critical and commercial praise. The Australian actor is also known for his singing abilities in films such as Les Miserables (Wikipedia).
This action star played Ellen Ripley.
Though the role was originally written for a man, this actress went on to become the face of the Alien franchise thanks to her part as Ellen Ripley. She’s appeared in four Alien films to date. Many may also recognize her from the blockbuster hits such as Ghostbusters and Avatar (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Man on Fire.
Though he is best known for being a dramatic actor, this A-lister has also starred in his fair share of action-heavy movies as well. Some of these include Glory, Training Day and Man on Fire. He’s also portrayed Robert McCall in The Equalizer and its 2018 sequel, which earned over $190 million at the box office (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Point Break.
Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, this star seemingly had one hit after another. Some of these included such classics as Dirty Dancing and Ghost. But he also appeared in his fair star of action films, including Road House and Point Break. Sadly, he passed away in 2009 at the age of 57 (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in 300.
After appearing in a number of action films in a supporting role, including Tale of the Mummy, Reign of Fire, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life, this actor landed the leading role in the action epic 300. He has continued to be leading man material, appearing in Olympus has Fallen and Geostorm (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Fury.
This actor first broke onto the scene in the early ‘90s thanks to his supporting roles in films such as Thelma & Louise and 12 Monkeys. He’s played the lead in the action films Troy, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and World War Z. Next year, he will star opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in the Underworld series.
This actress is probably best known for playing the leading character of Selene in the Underworld film series, which ran from 2003 to 2016. Some of her other action films include Van Helsing, Whiteout, and Total Recall. This year, she starred in the film Farming (Wikipedia). So do you know her name?
This action star appeared in Black Panther.
This actor’s time in film has really taken off in the last few years. After gaining widespread recognition thanks to his performance on the TV series Friday Night Lights, this actor has appeared in Creed and Black Panther — the latter of which ended up becoming one of the highest grossing movies of all time (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Machete.
Here’s an action star that many people may recognize, but not be able to remember the name of. He’s appeared in a number of action-heavy movies over the decades, many of which have been directed by Robert Rodriguez. These include Desperado, Machete, and Spy Kids. He’s also voiced characters in a number of action video games (Wikipedia).
This action star plays Hawkeye.
This actor may be best known for playing the supporting character of Clint Barton (AKA Hawkeye) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But he’s also headed up a number of action movies of his own. These include 28 Weeks Later, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, and the Best Picture of the Year winner The Hurt Locker (Wikipedia).
This action star plays Venom.
Earlier this year, this actor played the title character of the comic book movie Venom, which went on to gross over $844 million worldwide against a $100 million budget. Some of his other action-heavy films include Mad Max: Fury Road, Dunkirk, and The Dark Knight Rises, where he played the antagonist Bane (Wikipedia).
This action star played Superman.
This actor skyrocketed to fame when he landed the role of Clark Kent/ Superman in the 2012 film Man of Steel. He would go on to reprise the part in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as well as last year’s Justice League. This year, he appeared in Mission: Impossible — Fallout (Wikipedia).
This action star appeared in Predator.
Though he may be better known as a comedic actor today thanks to his roles in movies like Happy Gilmore and TV shows like Arrested Development, there was a time when this former NFL player starred in some of the biggest action movies of their time. These include the Rocky series as well as the 1987 film Predator (Wikipedia).
