10 Celebs Who Have Pursued Careers As Skilled Athletes

Learn the way these stars obtained concerned with sports activities…

Musician Redfoo rose to fame as a member of LMFAO, however now he’s pivoting his profession. In 2025, he made his skilled tennis debut as a part of the Worldwide Tennis Federation’s M15 Sharm ElSheikh event in Egypt. Whereas he misplaced the match in opposition to 23-year-old Leyton Rivera, he has plans to proceed his profession in tennis.

“As a child, it’s all the time been a dream of mine to play skilled tennis,” Redfoo shared with NY Tennis Journal in 2013.

In reality, Redfoo has been enjoying since he was a child and as soon as dated former world No. 1 ladies’s tennis participant Victoria Azarenka. Throughout that point, he entered the 2013 U.S. Open Nationwide Playoffs within the hopes of qualifying for the U.S. Open. Since then, he’s been an avid supporter of the game and even invented his personal recreation known as Time Ball.

Geena Davis had a longtime profession as an actress within the late ’90s when she discovered herself fully obsessive about archery after watching the 1996 Olympic Video games in Atlanta. She determined to dedicate herself to the game and was quickly training 5 hours a day, six days every week. She finally ended up profitable nationwide and worldwide tournaments — and took half within the qualifiers for the 2000 Summer time Olympics in Sydney. She fell simply in need of making the crew.

“I take every thing too far,” she joked in an interview with ET. “I’m on the Olympic trials in my forties for one thing I simply took up! It was essentially the most out-of-body expertise I’ve ever had. It was fabulous. I’ll always remember about it.”

Bella Hadid grew up driving horses and even had goals of creating it to the Olympics. Sadly, she had to surrender her potential profession as an equestrian as a result of her battle with Lyme illness, which her mom, Yolanda Hadid, says precipitated “extreme signs” that left her with the “incapacity to journey.” Bella went on to change into an internationally acknowledged mannequin — however by no means forgot her love of driving.

Fortuitously, Bella’s well being has improved in recent times and he or she now’s again within the saddle. In 2023, Bella took half in an equestrian competitors and as of late, has been concerned in reducing horses, a contemporary equestrian competitors that includes herding cattle. She was a finalist within the 2024 Tremendous Stakes Basic and was named the LAE Rookie of the Yr by the Nationwide Reducing Horse Affiliation.

Idris Elba has all the time been athletic, however round 2017, he took issues to the subsequent stage. He had been kickboxing “to maintain match” since his 20s however determined that he really wished to get within the ring and do issues professionally. He documented his whole journey in Idris Elba: Fighter, wherein he chronicled the coaching that went into a professional profession. In his kickboxing debut, he TKO’d his competitor within the first spherical.

“I used to be coaching a lot in the way in which knowledgeable would; it was an enormous problem each mentally and bodily. Earlier than this Idris Elba: Fighter sequence, kickboxing was extra of a keep-fit sort factor, and it was difficult to actually go head first into it due to my schedule with appearing — the producers in all probability wouldn’t be so eager on it,” he instructed Prepare journal. “Delving head first into it was a real journey and I completely beloved it.”

Cody Simpson grew up with a ardour for swimming, however as he obtained older, his focus shifted to music. In 2019, he determined to get again within the pool and pursue his Olympic swimming goals. He educated with Olympians like Brett Hawke and was mentored by Michael Phelps. After only a few years of coaching, he made it to the Australian Swimming Trials for the Tokyo Olympics.

Though he didn’t make it that yr, he continued his coaching in Australia and medaled on the Australian Swimming Championships. He later even took the rostrum at worldwide competitions. Then in 2024, he made it to the 2024 Australian Swimming Trials in 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Whereas he made a few of his private finest instances, it was simply in need of making the Olympic crew.

“I did what I may do, and that’s all you are able to do. I’ve come so much additional within the final 4 years than maybe I may have bargained for,” Cody shared. “Ranging from zero and attempting to see how far I may get in half or a 3rd of the time that everyone else has been coaching, simply to do proper by that child in me that gave it as much as go and pursue one thing else, which I had an unimaginable journey.”

Kaley Cuoco has all the time been concerned in sports activities. She grew up enjoying tennis, however when she determined to give up the game, her dad and mom instructed her that appearing shouldn’t be her solely extracurricular exercise. She picked up horseback driving and although she’s risen to fame as an actress, she’s maintained her love for horses. In reality, over the previous decade, she’s competed in quite a few showjumping occasions as an equestrian.

“The bond between an individual and a horse is like nothing else — it’s exhausting for individuals to know except they’ve one. Driving is the Zen a part of my week. There aren’t any cell telephones — you may’t assume exterior of that second. Performing isn’t straightforward for me by any means, however driving is such a problem,” she instructed Los Angeles Journal in 2015.

Jake Paul rose to fame as a Vine star and YouTuber earlier than making his appearing debut on Disney Channel. Whereas his appearing profession didn’t final lengthy, he made waves as a controversial determine on social media — earlier than pivoting to enter the world of boxing. Though he wasn’t taken severely at first and admits he was doing it as a money seize, Jake says boxing has saved his life and brought him out of a really darkish place.

“I want boxing. Boxing saved me. I used to be in a brilliant darkish place in my life. I lacked self-discipline, lacked routine, lacked neighborhood, lacked ardour, lacked progress. Boxing gave me all of these issues, and I beloved punching individuals and getting punched!” Jake shared. “I really like the tempo of it, the technique, every thing behind it. It’s an artwork. Then there’s the build-up, the content material, the press conferences, the outfits. All of it made me fall in love with boxing, to a degree the place I want boxing each day simply to perform. I really like the game, that’s actually what it’s.”

Mary-Kate Olsen picked up horseback driving when she was only a younger actress starring on Full Home. As she rose to fame, she continued her equestrian pursuits for enjoyable and finally started getting into into competitions. Since 2013, Mary-Kate has been competing within the Hampton Basic Horse Present and has additionally taken half within the Palm Seaside Masters on a number of events.

Tom Hardy obtained concerned in Brazilian jiu-jitsu over a decade in the past when he was coaching for his film Warrior, wherein he portrayed an MMA fighter. He defined that as an actor, he usually educated to get huge or small for a movie however it was lonely and boring. He was satisfied to check out jiu-jitsu and has since change into an enormous fan, even when he was intimidated at first. He’s now taken half in quite a few competitions, together with the Milton Keynes Brazilian Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, organized by the Final Martial Arts Championship.

“I began to benefit from the neighborhood and it gave me a stage of confidence, sincere confidence, as a result of I all the time [got] crushed, however that’s okay,” Tom stated. “However I stored turning up. It’s actually essential. You’re by no means going to be one of the best, it’s unimaginable. However you might be higher than you have been, by coming, simply coming and there’s nothing to be fearful of. I spotted that everyone there who I assumed was scary weren’t actually completely different [than me].”

Grasp P started releasing music in 1991, however after discovering success as a rapper, he determined to show his consideration to basketball. In 1998, a buddy satisfied Keith Sensible, the pinnacle coach of Continental Basketball Affiliation crew Fort Wayne Fury, to let Grasp P check out. Whereas Keith later stated he didn’t assume the rapper was NBA materials, he thought having him on the crew could possibly be “thrilling for the Fort Wayne neighborhood.”

Grasp P hit the street with the crew and in 1999, he started scoping out NBA groups that will enable him to check out for a spot on the roster. He went on to attend coaching camps for the Charlotte Hornets and the Toronto Raptors however was dropped each instances. He was finally signed by the San Diego Stingrays, the place he performed for lower than a season.

In 2004, he briefly performed for American Basketball Affiliation groups the Las Vegas Rattlers and Lengthy Seaside Jam. He additionally tried out for the Denver Nuggets at their coaching camp for his or her summer season league after which did the identical for the Sacramento Kings. Whereas he finally stepped again from the game, Grasp P says he’s pleased with his accomplishments.

“Ain’t no publicity stunt. Are you aware how exhausting it’s to work into that [situation]? I view it as I made historical past. What different hip-hop [star] or entertainer obtained that far?” he later shared.