These tv actors that practiced high performance sports

18/03/2021

While some actors have dreamed of the glitzy spotlight since childhood, some others first chose a path of competitions and trophies before appearing on camera. The following six TV actors are evidence of this, having distinguished themselves in high-level sport.

Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir

Tall and athletic, Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir performed in the swimming pools for a while, before becoming one of the main faces of the Vikings series. Specializing in 50 metres and 100 metres freestyle, the young woman competed at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and 2008 in Beijing under the flag of Iceland. It was only after her retirement from the sport that she decided to become an actress. She enrolled at the New York Film Academy and graduated in 2015. A recent conversion, which seems quite successful for her so far.

Terry Crews

Now known for his role as Terry Jeffords in the Brooklyn Nine-Nineseries, Terry Crews began his career as an American football player. For seven seasons, he served as defensive end and linebacker for various NFL teams, such as the San Diego Chargers, the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles. After his retirement from the sport, the American star went for television and film and quickly rose to fame in this world.

Jason Lee

Star of the NBC show My Name Is Earl, broadcast in the 2000s, Jason Lee was first a skateboarding star in his youth. Renowned for his unique style and distinctive figures, the young man made his mark on his sport, before turning to the red carpets and the spotlight. His career shift became then quickly a success, both on the small and the big screen, where he broke through with films such as Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Travis Fimmel

Ragnar Lothbrok, Earl of Kattegat in Vikings, Travis Fimmel was far from picturing himself as a TV show headliner when he was younger. Light years away from the red carpet, the young man originally aspired to a professional career as an Australian football player. At 18, he moved to Melbourne to join the St Kilda Football Club, but a broken leg put an end to his sporting dreams. He had then no choice but to begin a second career, thus embarking on modeling, before finally becoming an actor.

Geena Davis

Unlike the others here, Geena Davis started out in film. The Fly, Beetlejuice, Thelma & Louise: her career was already well underway when in 1997, the actress developed a sheer passion about archery. Dedicated to her new hobby, the actress progressed at an incredible speed; she was even able to try the qualifying events for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Her results, however, did not allow her to represent her country in Australia and the American returned to her first love. Recently, viewers could find her in Grey's Anatomy, where she portrayed Dr. Nicole Herman.

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson

He is 2.06 meters (6 ft 9 in) tall and weighs 200 kilograms (441 lb): Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson has established himself as the new red-carpet colossus. The iconic Mountain of Game of Thrones, the Icelandic actor is above all a recognized champion in strength athletics. The actor, who has been crowned the strongest man in Iceland and Europe on multiple occasions, also won The World's Strongest Man in 2018 and two years later set a world record for a deadlift with a bar weighted at 501 kilograms (1,105 lb). An incredible record that he could never dream of in his youth. At first, the man nicknamed Thor wanted to become a professional basketball player. He had even joined an Icelandic first division team but was forced to give up on the orange ball because of an ankle injury.

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