Ricky Starks Hints At Following In The Rock And John Cena's Footsteps

Ricky Starks is one of the fastest-rising stars in AEW. From winning the FTW Championship while a member of Team Taz to chasing after the AEW World Championship at the tail end of 2022, the future is bright for him in AEW. But his potential may not end inside the squared circle as Starks has aspirations to achieve more as part of his five-year plan.

"I see myself making a lot of money," Starks told GV Wire. "I see myself on top of the wrestling world, and I see myself, you know, doing some movies here and there. Maybe some DC or Marvel movies. Who knows?"

If Starks does eventually make it onto the silver screen, he could potentially follow in the footsteps of wrestlers-turned-actors like John Cena and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Notably, the two WWE megastars, who fought in back-to-back WrestleMania main event matches in 2012 and 2013, have both been involved in DC Extended Universe productions in the past. "The Great One" recently played the role of Black Adam in the namesake movie, while the 16-time WWE World Champion portrayed Peacemaker in "The Suicide Squad" before the character was given a spin-off television series. 

Due to their individual success in film over the years, Johnson and Cena have helped bridge the gap between sports entertainment and Hollywood, which in turn has opened doors for pro wrestlers to pursue major acting roles, something Starks could gain from in the future. Dave Bautista is one particular wrestler who benefitted after he rose to prominence by playing the role of Drax the Destroyer in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" in 2014.