Only a handful of professional wrestlers have successfully made the leap from the squared circle to Hollywood. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Black Adam), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy), and John Cena (Peacemaker) remain the most obvious examples, though you may have also seen Randy Orton in a few movies - and TV shows - over the years.
The Viper made his feature debut in 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded and later appeared in The Condemned 2, Countdown, Shooter, and Changeland.
In a sit-down interview with fellow WWE Superstar (and current Undisputed WWE Champion) Cody Rhodes, Orton revealed that he was among those who auditioned for the role of Cable in 2018's Deadpool 2.
"So, I do auditions here and there. I remember I got an audition early on when I finally got some representation in that industry," he explained (via TheRingReport.com). "I think Deadpool 2? Cable. I read for Cable and in my head, boy, I was gonna be Cable. I was gonna be Cable. And I was like, 'This is it.'"
"Nope, no callback. No nothing. Yeah, thanks. Josh Brolin gets it. Of course Josh Brolin gets it [and] kills it," Orton added. "I think I realised then, 'Oh, okay, I can send in these auditions but I'm a pro wrestler.' I really enjoy being a pro wrestler and everything it's given me. I don't think I'll ever leave this place [WWE]."
Orton would have made for a suitably formidable Cable on Earth-100005, particularly as he stands at 6'5"; for comparison's sake, Brolin is a mere 5'10". Regardless, the actor didn't reprise the role in Deadpool & Wolverine and currently there's no indication he'll do so before the Multiverse Saga ends.
As for Orton, he remains busy in WWE. After recovering from what could have been a career-ending back injury, he's currently slated to face Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at Bash in Berlin on August 31.
In Deadpool 2, Cable is portrayed as a time-travelling soldier who, similar to the comics, wields a cybernetic arm and advanced weaponry. Born Nathan Summers, he comes from a dystopian future and seeks to prevent a tragedy which will end with the death of his wife and daughter, driving him to alter the past.
The mutant's main target is a young mutant named Russell "Firefist" Collins, who possesses explosive fiery powers and will eventually murder Cable's family. While Nathan initially clashes with Deadpool, their motives align as they work together to protect the young mutant from an even more formidable adversary in Juggernaut.
You can watch the full interview with Orton in the player below.
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