While Hulk Hogan is most known for his time in the squared circle—helping build WWE into the sports entertainment juggernaut it stands today—he was also a major fixture in Hollywood. Hogan starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in 1982’s Rocky III, the film that launched his acting career. Hogan played Thunderlips, a wrestling champion who fights Stallone’s Rocky Balboa during an exhibition charity event.
Nowadays, wrestlers have the creative freedom to take on projects outside of the wrestling world. John Cena, The Rock, and Dave Bautista are proof that it works, and having that professional wrestling background certainly helps in action roles. Even more recently, Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch, and Roman Reigns are now dipping their toes into acting. While it may not be taboo now, four decades ago, that was not the case.
“I told Vince Sr., ‘Hey, I got this call from Stallone,’” Hogan recalled in an interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin, noting that he thought it was a “rib.” After confirming the authenticity of the offer, he didn’t hesitate to accept. Vince Sr.—who forbade his wrestlers from accepting acting roles—was not happy.
“Back then, ‘78, ‘79, if you were a wrestler, you didn’t do TV. You didn’t go do a movie,” Hogan explained. “If you’re a wrestler, you’re a wrestler.” After launching Hogan into stardom, WWE rehired him. He’d later go on to star in Suburban Commando and the Thunder in Paradise franchise, among other projects.
HUlk Hogan Hospitalized Three Men on Set of Rocky III
Losing his main source of income, Hogan gave it his all in his performance, leaving the crew shocked and impressed. Stallone previously revealed that the hardest hit he’d ever taken was working with Hogan in Rocky III. Not only that, Hogan hospitalized three stuntmen by jumping into the crowd.
“I remember a violent move where he threw me into the corner, charged across the ring like an ENRAGED bull, and leaped so amazingly high above me that his shinbone actually came down like a giant tree on my collarbone. And I tumbled to the floor. I was afraid to look at my shoulder for about 10 minutes,” Stallone recalled in an Instagram post.
“I said, ‘don’t roll me over, don’t move me,’ because I was sure there was bone protruding through my upper chest! Of course, there wasn’t, but I have never felt such a mind-numbing pain from a massive hit before or since that day!”
“HULK Just didn’t know his own strength. Believe it or not, when he jumped into the audience to fight with the stuntmen, three of them had to be treated at the hospital. Great guy, great friend, his presence made the film very very special. [sic]”
Stallone, who remained a friend to Hogan and inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, posted a tribute on social media following his passing. “I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old,” Stallone wrote. “He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky III incredibly special. My heart breaks. I think that he’s gone…”
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