These days it's incredibly common for athletes to make the transition to the acting world -- particularly from the realm of combat sports. MMA fighters generally have proven track records of successful acting careers, and we're always on the lookout for the next big thing. As it turns out, we may have just found it. UFC fighter Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone has lined up a Netflix series for himself, and it seems right up his alley. He explained:
It's a Netflix series. I got six episodes. Going to do cowboy shit. It's called Godless. I'm part of a gang, a train robbery gang. I'm excited. We start on the 12th.
During a recent interview on the Joe Rogen Experience podcast, MMA fighter Donald Cerrone revealed that he's finally going to make his way to the small screen for something other than a UFC match. True to his nickname, "Cowboy" Cerrone will take on the role of a cowboy in six episodes of the upcoming Netflix series, Godless. Although his character currently remains nameless, we have learned that he will portray a member of a "train robbery gang," so expect his physicality as a professional athlete to be on full display.
When it comes to the rest of the Godless cast, Donald Cerrone will join the ranks of some serious heavy hitters. In addition to the UFC fighter, the upcoming Netflix western has also enlisted the acting talents of Jeff Daniels, Jack O'Connell, The Walking Dead's Merritt Wever, and House of Cards' Jeremy Bobb. Cerrone is a relatively inexperienced actor, with only an uncredited role on Justified under his belt, so working alongside these greats will either help him improve as an actor, or specifically highlight his lack of experience. We will have to wait and see which of these potential outcomes wins out.
The idea of a professional fighter taking on the world of acting shouldn't come as a great surprise to anybody. Some of the most reliable action stars of this generation hail from combat sports. Men like Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham both have backgrounds in wrestling and kickboxing, respectively, and women such as Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey (much like Donald Cerrone) both come from the world of Ultimate Fighting. As action has become more and more realistic on-screen over the years, the responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of real life badasses to convincingly sell these sequences. Cerrone simply represents the next in a long tradition.
It's been quite a while since we last saw a good, old-fashioned western, but Godless is shaping up to give the genre a serious revival. We will bring you more information related to the project as it becomes available to us; the series begins filming on September 12, and it will premiere on Netflix sometime in 2017. For now, make sure to check out our comprehensive fall premiere schedule and fill out your calendars accordingly.
