“I want to be as big as Rock.” Guess who said that? Yep, none other than Shaquille O’Neal. And honestly, it makes sense. Athletes jumping into Hollywood isn’t exactly breaking news anymore. John Cena did it. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson built an empire out of it. And so did Shaquille O’Neal. Some do it because they’re passionate about acting. Others? Well… they just know a good opportunity when they see one. And Shaq falls under the latter category.

Shaq’s been dabbling in movies since way back in 1993. And while he’s done 14 films over the years, fun fact, only three of those had him playing someone other than, well… Shaq. But here’s the cool part. Do you know who spotted him early and gave him a shot? Shaq just revealed it after nearly three decades, it was none other than Chris Rock. Yup, Chris Rock saw something in the big man and put him on. And even after all these years, Shaq hasn’t forgotten who helped kickstart his Hollywood side hustle.

In a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the big man opened up about how it all started. “Growing up, I just always wanted to take advantage of opportunities, so I’m in a bar in New York and Chris Rock comes to me and says, ‘I want you to be in my movie.’” From day one, he’s been all about chasing moments that could level up his career. And if you have any doubt about that, then just look at his business empire now. 

When a shot like that landed in his lap, Big Diesel wasn’t about to let it slide. That’s how he ended up in CB4, an American satirical mockumentary black comedy film, back in 1993. And once that door cracked open, more offers followed. As Shaq casually put it, “Then you know I’m in LA and another guy and another guy.” It’s been that way ever since. Shaq just stays winning by saying yes to the right moments. But do you know who it is that Shaq believes is his idol in the film industry?

Shaquille O’Neal speaks about his Hollywood plans

Shaquille O’Neal’s got a long list of nicknames: Superman, The Diesel, The Big Aristotle. But somewhere in there, you might wanna pencil in Movie Star. Because truth be told, post-NBA Shaq has been absolutely thriving. Between breaking down games on TNT’s Inside the NBA, being the face of about a hundred commercials, and building an empire of investments, Big Diesel stays busy.

And turns out, he’s got his sights set on Hollywood too. Back in a 2018 interview, Shaq didn’t hold back about his movie ambitions. When asked about his plans in the industry, he came through with a bold one. “I want to be as big as Rock,” Shaq admitted. Now, that’s aiming for the top shelf, as the interviewer pointed out, “Dwayne Johnson is the biggest movie star on the planet. That’s setting a high bar.”

Shaq didn’t flinch. “We come from the same place: athletes that transition. That’s my goal. I want similar type movies, I want to get thrillers, I want to get dramas. I want to do comedies, I want to be the next Rock, I want to do a thriller where I’m like a hero and beat up all the bad guys.”

Honestly? Can you imagine Shaq stomping through a thriller, tossing bad guys like rag dolls? I’d buy a ticket. Twice. What about you?