No wonder he always seems like a BAMF.
Is he the walking definition of a polymath?
Does Bob Newhart count? He was an accountant before he got into comedy.
Well, not anymore. Unless he decides to take up being a zombie.
I mean, resurrecting oneself would be impressive.
Ken Jeong was a doctor before he took up comedy before he took up acting. But it does look like he dabbled in theater classes while still a student, so maybe disqualified?
A better example is Haing S. Ngor. He was an OB/GYN in Cambodia before the revolution. He survived by hiding his education and spent a long time in reeducation camps before escaping to Thailand. He never acted in so much as a school play before he was cast in The Killing Fields. He’s one of two (the previously mentioned Harold Russell) amateur actors to win the Oscar.
Ngor was never able to return to medicine. He did a few other acting gigs before his death but not much.
Last I heard Jeong still maintains his board certifications and is a licensed doctor even though he is a full time actor. His wife is also a medical doctor.
Frank Sinatra was in several movies. Lady Gaga is another talented singer who has made the transition.
Sammy Davis, jr., as well.
And Elvis Presley.
Debbie Harry.
(Which leads to a weak thing for the questions with two different answers thread: What well known singer acted in a 1980 movie concerning milk bottle theft and had .recorded for Chrysalis Records?)
I’ve seen her live in a stage play. She was fine - not stellar, but decent. Sadly, the play itself was terrible.
He has taken acting lessons - don’t know if that’s formal enough.
Arnold has said that his hero growing up was Reg Park.
Park appeared as Hercules in beginning in 1961, and was sort of the same as Reeves in terms of bodybuilder turned actor.