Buff men in movies. We’ve all seen them; shirtless and oiled up on a freeway billboard, perhaps a comment made in passing about the inhuman size of their veins, or just plain amazement at the circumference of their triceps. In action, these bulky figures draw our gaze to their stature rather than the main plot—and in some cases, their subpar acting. 

In the case of many buff actors, the beginning of their acting careers began with the end of another, whether it be bodybuilding, wrestling, or other activities that involve bulking up. Rather than leave the public eye, some athletes choose to channel their existing fame onto the big screen. This is especially true for muscular actors, a previously niche role. The industry has since evolved from a time when the epitome of well-built was George Reeves as 1952 Superman, who was, admittedly, quite sinewy. As onscreen characters have diversified, so has the need for different body types. 

In the last 50 years alone, we’ve seen Sylvester Stallone as Italian boxer Rocky, ex-bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzeneggar playing cyborg Terminator, and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson who debuted in Fast Five as Luke Hobbs. Even former wrestler (and meme) John Cena has starred in some roles of his own. The aforementioned actors astonish fans with their impossibly defined muscles and shocking feats of strength. Still, some critics have expressed disappointment over the decision to cast ex-wrestlers instead of trained actors. 

Take John Cena’s 2019 film Playing with Fire, which, in all honesty, completely tanked. The family-oriented comedy revolving around firefighter Jake Carson, played by Cena, left box offices with a 24% in Rotten Tomatoes. As one of Cena’s first lead roles, the movie definitely did not add to his reputation as a movie star.

“Cena is currently at the stage of his career where his roles are essentially, ‘muscular man who is funny,’” wrote film critic Sarah Hagi from The Globe and Mail. “The film co-stars three other truly funny people – Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo, and Judy Greer…Why make [Cena] the star of a comedy when they are all right there?”

Hagi ferociously flames the plot and Cena equally, ending with “it was far too long.”

Of course, lumping all the big guys into one category would be unfair. Many have diverged from the typical “grunting henchman” or all-bod-and-no-brains stereotype. Buff men are now feathers, chefs, even the Tooth Fairy. Austrian-born actor and ex-bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger even became Governor of California for two terms.

Dwayne Johnson shocked and delighted many as Maui in Disney’s Moana. Maui, an arrogant demigod, flaunts his strength and enormous biceps whilst singing “You’re Welcome.” And, yes, Johnson did the singing, too. 

“Dwayne Johnson was the perfect fit for Maui,” said sophomore Amiruthaa Amudharasan. “He was the actual essence of the character, and no one could’ve played him better. [Johnson] reflects the playful but “macho” parts of a muscle man.”

Amudharasan’s sentiment speaks volumes. Looking past the occasional corny acting, the versatility in roles affirms that there’s more to muscle men than meets the eye.

Photo courtesy of WIKIMEDIA COMMONS