Hollywood has known about the importance of arms for a few decades now, starting in the 1930s with guys like Johnny “Tarzan” Weissmuller and Buster “Flash Gordon” Crabbe — both Olympic swimming gold medalists. It was Arnold Schwarzennegger and Sylvester Stallone who ushered in the genre of stars who looked as if they could step off the screen and onto a bodybuilding stage.
From Conan onward, Hollywood has provided us with a spate of well-armed stars, the better to knock out foes, carry damsels, and put butts in theater seats.
Gerard’s muscle mass may fluctuate often, but when he’s big and ripped, he’s really big and ripped. Look no further than the movie 300 where he stars as the super-shredded King Leonidas, leading a brave group of equally pumped and chiseled warriors onto the battlefield. Wearing the signature Spartan tunic and cloak, Butler’s biceps saw plenty of action.
First Big Break Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Memorable Movie Quote “Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty…for tonight, we dine in hell!” (300)
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Carlos Alvarez / Getty
Will Smith
If you saw him in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, you’d say this is the last guy you’d expect to see on this list. If you saw him 10 years later in the movie Ali, you’d say, “Holy crap, the dude is huge! Hard to believe it’s the same person. While many actors make the transformation from scrawny to brawny, Smith really stepped it up with an intensive training program that turned his puny pipes into massive guns the size of those wielded in Men in Black.
First (of Many) Alien-Fighting Movies Independence Day
Memorable Movie Quote “You know the difference between you and me? I make this look good.” (Men in Black)
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Marc Piasecki / Getty
Hugh Jackman
The Land Down Under has delivered a host of Hollywood tough guys with muscular physiques, and Hugh Jackman ranks right up there with the best of them. Although Hugh’s arms may not be huge, they are impressive when it comes to definition and vascularity. The singer-dancer-actor has appeared in a string of hit movies and musical productions, but it was his role as Wolverine in the X-Men series that brought his cut arms to the masses.
Blockbuster Movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Memorable Dialogue Exchange
Victor Creed: “Tell me something, Jimmy. Do you even know how to kill me?” Logan: “I’m gonna cut your goddamned head off. See if that works.”
(X-Men Origins: Wolverine)
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ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP / Getty
Chris Evans
Having big, strong, powerful arms is a must for any superhero—especially one standing up for the U.S. of A. So when the call came to defend the red, white, and blue, Evans decided to take on a superhero-building workout to put on some mass. When it was all said and done, he had built biceps worthy of the Captain America uniform.
First Feature Film Not Another Teen Movie
First Superhero Role Johnny Storm (The Fantastic Four)
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Kevin Winter / Getty
Jason Momoa
In 2019, Jason Momoa has emerged as one of the most recognizable action stars on the planet, and it has a lot to do with his incredible physique. In the years since he broke onto the scene, he’s proven himself capable of playing a range of jacked badasses, from underwater superheroes to barbarians and moody fur traders.
First Movie Role
Jason Loane (Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding)
First Big Break
Game of Thrones
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Phillip Faraone / Getty
Vin Diesel
Even his name sounds like a tough and buff action hero—and his jacked arms back up the image. While he may be best known for his deep, gravelly voice and clean-shaven dome, Diesel’s muscular physique is another trademark that’s often showcased in his action flicks. At about 16.5 inches, his fully loaded guns get lots of airtime kicking butt on the big screen.
Big Hollywood Break Getting cast by Steven Spielberg for Saving Private Ryan
To wield the mighty war hammer of a Thunder God, you’d better have some powerful arms. So to make sure actor Chris Hemsworth could deliver as Thor, he underwent a God-like bodybuilding regimen for 12 weeks to transform his physique.
First Hollywood Film Star Trek
Best Known For Thor
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Michael Ochs Archives / Getty
Bruce Lee
While not massive like some of the bigger dudes in Tinseltown, Bruce lee backed down to no one. What he lacked in size, he made up for in strength, speed, and toughness. Shredded to perfection, Lee’s chiseled arms packed a whole lot of power. Considered by many to be the best martial artist in the world, his functional strength was unparalleled as he effortlessly brought down guys twice his size.
Biggest Hit Flick Enter the Dragon
Memorable Movie Quote (After rival smashes board with fist): “Boards don’t hit back.” (Enter the Dragon)
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Ron Galella / Getty
Mr. T
Somewhere between T-Rex and Ice-T, there was Mr. T. Known most for his mohawk and excessive bling, this 1980s icon hit the big time as the Italian Stallion’s trash-talking nemesis in Rocky III. While his boxing and acting skills may have needed a little more fine-tuning, his arms were ready for prime time. Whether in the ring or on the streets, Mr. T did some serious damage with his menacing guns.
Famous Movie Role Clubber Lang (Rocky III)
Trademark Quote “I pity the fool.”
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M. Caulfield/WireImage / Getty
Michael Clarke Duncan
Good luck finding a bigger actor—size-wise—on the big screen. After working as a ditch digger, bouncer, and personal bodyguard for some A-list celebrities, Duncan shifted direction and brought his acting chops and mammoth 20-inch pythons to Hollywood to become a celebrity himself. His larger-than-life personality combined with his larger-than-life arms make it impossible not to take notice anytime he appears on screen.
Key Movie The Green Mile
Most Memorable Scene Grabbing (healing) Tom Hanks’ crotch in The Green Mile.
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Patrick Robert/Sygma/CORBIS/Sygma / Getty
Jean-Claude Van Damme
You don’t have to be a Van Damme fan to appreciate the guns on the “Muscles from Brussels.” Before blowing away the bad guys or using time machines to hunt down rogue travelers, Van Damme was a successful martial artist and kickboxer in Europe. He brought those skills, a bad accent, and a set of 16.5-inch cannons to the hit flick, Bloodsport.
His body of work in film and television may be a bit underwhelming, but his actual body is something to marvel. At 6’4″ and 275 pounds, the dude is one intimidating physical specimen. The Hulkster combined size and definition for some mammoth, pumped-up, so-called 24-inch pythons (although we’re thinking they were closer to 20 inches at his peak).
First Movie Role Thunderlips (Rocky III)
Memorable Scene Tossing Rocky around the ring like a rag doll during an exhibition match.
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Michael Ochs Archives / Getty
Carl Weathers
A onetime linebacker with the Oakland Raiders, Weathers is best known for his four-peat role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series. As did star Sylvester Stallone, Weathers further honed his physique in each of the first four movies, to the point where he more closely resembled a bodybuilder than a boxer in Rocky IV.
Big Hollywood Break Rocky
Memorable Movie Quote “Ain’t gonna be no rematch.” (Rocky)
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Silver Screen Collection / Getty
Steve Reeves
Best known for his portrayal of the Greek hero Hercules, Reeves flexed his colossal 19-inch arms in a host of high-action sword and sandal films where tough guys often fought to the death.
First Flick Jail Bait (directed by Ed Wood in 1954).
Biggest Regret Turned down James Bond role in Dr. No.
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Per Bernal
The Rock
Before becoming famous in hollywood, Dwayne Johnson played football under the bright lights at the University of Miami. Soon after, he became one of the most celebrated stars to set foot in the WWE. With his shredded 19-inch cannons, it’s easy to see why they call him The Rock.
First Flick The Mummy Returns
Famous Smackdown Shout “If you smell … what The Rock … is COOKING!”
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Dolph Lundgren
When Stallone was looking to cast his nemesis in Rocky IV, he needed someone with a good body who could act, box, and, most important, speak with a Russian accent. He just wasn’t expecting that someone to be 6’5″. However, once Lundgren packed on an extra 30 pounds of muscle and shredded his 17-inch biceps, Drago was born.
Big Hollywood Break Rocky IV
Memorable Movie Quote “I must break you.” (Rocky IV)
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TriStar / Getty
Sly Stallone
Hollywood superstar Sly Stallone used his smarts and muscle to create tough, gritty underdogs trying to conquer insurmountable odds. Whether as Rocky Balboa, John Rambo, or Barney Ross (in the upcoming The Expendables 2), Sly has never been shy about showing off his amazing arms, particularly his tree-trunk-thick forearms, which so far have consistently dispatched of any and all adversaries posthaste.
Memorable Movie Quote “All I wanna do is go the distance.” (Rocky)
Memorable Scene When Creed and Balboa both go down in the final seconds of the final round. (Rocky II)
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FOX / Getty
John Cena
Like most guys with 19-inch arms, Cena first flexed his might and biceps on the gridiron before taking to the wrestling ring to become a WWE superstar. With countless main-event matches under his belt, Cena used his smackdown success as a springboard to the silver screen.
Key Movie The Marine
Mission Statement “Hustle, loyalty, and respect.”
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Peter Wang
Terry Crews
A veteran of comedy and action flicks, if Crews isn’t stealing scenes from his wife, he’s doing it with his physical presence. It’s no surprise Crews happens to possess the huge guns of an NFL linebacker, a job that appears on his résumé as well.
Big Screen Debut The 6th Day
Drafted by This NFL Team Los Angeles Rams
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Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic / Getty
Lou Ferrigno
Unlike the special effects needed to transform Edward Norton into The Incredible Hulk in the 2008 blockbuster, all Lou Ferrigno needed was some body paint and undersized clothes to bust out of. Already a two-time Mr. Universe winner, Ferrigno’s incredible physique and herculean 23-inch biceps made him the obvious choice for the monster role that put him on the Hollywood map.
Key Movie Hercules
Personal Quote “Everyone has his own little Hulk inside him.”
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Michael Ochs Archives / Getty
Arnold Schwarzenegger
When it comes to big-time, blockbuster action heroes with bulging biceps, Arnold reigns supreme. A string of box office hits and a boatload of bodybuilding titles—he won Mr. Olympia seven times—made Schwarzenegger a household name by the mid-1980s. Known for his perfect muscular build and his not-so-perfect use of the English language, Schwarzenegger’s movie career skyrocketed with three simple words, “I’ll be back.” Once he sported those cool shades and stuffed those cannons into his iconic leather jacket, you knew the man was money.
Memorable Quotes With Arnold, there are lots to choose from. Here are our top 5:
1. “I’ll be back!” (Terminator) 2. “Hasta la vista, baby!” (Terminator 2) 3. “It’s not a tumor.” (Kindergarten Cop) 4. “Don’t be economic girly men!” (Republican convention) 5. “If it bleeds, we can kill it.” (Predator)
Ultimate Biceps Scene Dutch and Dillon (Schwarzenegger and Weather) greet with an arm-wrestling-style handshake that gives a close-up of both actors’ huge guns. (Predator)
