1987’s Predator might not be the first movie that comes to mind when you think about high-brow drama that could have led three cast members into politics. Directed by John McTiernan, the movie, which you can watch with a Peacock subscription (though it leaves the streaming service in September), stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, Carl Weathers, and Sonny Landham, among others.
Now, two of those names are going to jump off the page as they both became governors of states later. Schwarzenegger was once the governor of California, of course, and Ventura was elected to lead his home state of Minnesota for one term. The third politician, Sonny Landham, isn’t as well known, but he was very involved in Kentucky politics.
Sonny Landham Ran For Governor of Kentucky
In 2003, actors running for office were all the rage. In the wake of Ventura winning in Minnesota, Landham entered the race for Kentucky’s governor as a Republican. Schwarzenegger was also a Republican governor, though Ventura was a member of the short-lived Reform Party. Landham eventually withdrew from the primary field and set his sights a little closer to home. Schwarzenegger would win his race in California later that same year.
Meanwhile, Landham remained interested in politics, and in 2004, entered the race for a State Senate seat in Kentucky, again as a Republican. Though he didn’t win that race, either, out of it came a radio show he hosted, and that’s eventually what caused his ultimate downfall in politics permanently. That downfall came during a third run, this time for the United States Senate as a member of the Libertarian Party in 2008.
While running against the incumbent, Mitch McConnell, Landham made some very controversial statements on a radio show and used multiple slurs toward Arabs and Arab-Americans. Really nasty stuff, if I’m honest. The Libertarian Party withdrew his nomination as a result, and his political career was finished. He died in 2017.
Three Action Stars, Three Different Career Paths
As I said, Predator is not the kind of movie you’d expect political leaders to emerge from. Yes, the movie is legendary for a reason, but cerebral? Not really. It’s part horror movie, part sci-fi, and part amazing action movie, but it’s not exactly high art, right? It’s launched an incredibly successful franchise, and remains part of the cultural zeitgeist all these decades later. The same can be said for Ventura and Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger has dabbled in acting here and there since retiring as a pretty popular Republican governor of a very Democratic state, and Ventura continues to be culturally relevant (and outspoken) as both a former governor and as a former star wrestler. The same can’t be said for Landham. His movie career wasn’t on the same level as even Ventura’s, and his political career was, for lack of a more eloquent word, a disaster.
All three will be remembered for their iconic parts in Predator, but while Schwarzenegger and Ventura will always be known for more, Landham will likely always be best known for playing Billy in the movie, which, if I’m honest, he’s awesome in.
