Jesse Ventura
Acting • Born 1951-07-15
Biography
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (born James George Janos) is an American politician, actor, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in WWE, he served as the 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He was elected governor with the Reform Party and is the party's only candidate to win a major government office. Ventura was a member of the United States Navy Underwater Demolition Team during the Vietnam War. After leaving the military, he embarked on a professional wrestling career as a heel from 1975 to 1986, taking the ring name "Jesse 'the Body' Ventura." He had a lengthy tenure in WWE as a performer and color commentator and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004. In addition to wrestling, Ventura pursued an acting career, appearing in films such as Predator and The Running Man. Ventura entered politics in 1991 when he was elected mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a position he held until 1995. He was the Reform Party candidate in the 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial election, running a low-budget campaign centered on grassroots events and unusual advertising that urged citizens not to "vote for politics as usual". In a major upset, Ventura defeated both the Democratic and Republican nominees. Amid internal fights for control over the party, Ventura left the Reform Party a year after taking office and served the remainder of his term as a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. Since holding public office, Ventura has referred to himself as a "statesman" instead of a politician. As governor, Ventura oversaw reforms of Minnesota's property tax as well as the state's first sales tax rebate. Other initiatives he took included construction of the METRO Blue Line light rail in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and income tax cuts. Ventura did not run for reelection. After leaving office in 2003, he became a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has since hosted a number of political television shows on RT America and Ora TV, and written several books. Ventura has been a prominent figure in third-party politics, having repeatedly floated the idea of running for President of the United States as an independent candidate. In late April 2020, Ventura endorsed the Green Party in the 2020 presidential election and showed interest in running for its nomination. He officially joined the Green Party of Minnesota on May 2. On May 7, he confirmed he would not run. The Alaskan division of the Green Party nominated Ventura without his involvement, causing the national party to disown it for abandoning its nominee, Howie Hawkins. Early life
Filmography
118 credits
Predator
Movie • 1987
Blain Cooper
The Running Man
Movie • 1987
Captain Freedom
Repossessed
Movie • 1990
Himself
Demolition Man
Movie • 1993
CryoCon
Beyond the Mat
Movie • 1999
Self
Major League II
Movie • 1994
White Lightning
Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe
Movie • 1990
Abraxas
No Holds Barred
Movie • 1989
Himself - Commentator #1
The Obama Deception
Movie • 2009
Self
WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA
Movie • 2006
Self
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun
Movie • 1993
DMV Testee
AWA Christmas Night 1983
Movie • 1983
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Woodshop
Movie • 2010
Mr. Madson
Thunderground
Movie • 1989
The Man
Savage
Movie • 1977
himself
WCW Beach Blast
Movie • 1992
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up
Movie • 2011
Self
The Drunk
Movie • 2014
Governor Littleton
Tagteam
Movie • 1991
Bobby Youngblood
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Movie • 2006
Jesse Ventura
AWA Christmas Show 1983
Movie • 1983
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
Movie • 1987
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
Movie • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (archive footage)
Jesse Ventura Shocks the World
Movie • 2024
Self
Biography: Wrestlemania I
Movie • 2022
Self (archival footage)
WWF Hulkamania 2
Movie • 1987
Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Hulkamania 3
Movie • 1988
Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Best of the WWF Volume 1
Movie • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Ringside)
Hulkamania 4
Movie • 1989
Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
Movie • 1989
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Ricochet
Movie • 1991
Chewalski
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
Movie • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
Movie • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Making of Trump
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage)
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '85
Movie • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
Movie • 1988
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentary)
The Claw
Movie • 2021
Himself
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Movie • 1988
Baseball Announcer (uncredited)
This Was the XFL
Movie • 2017
Himself
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
Movie • 2004
Self
Batman & Robin
Movie • 1997
Arkham Asylum Guard
WWE Hall of Fame: Jesse Ventura
Movie • 2012
Himself
Andre the Giant
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Movie • 2009
Himself
AWA Super Sunday
Movie • 1983
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino
Movie • 1986
Tag Team Champions
Movie • 1986
Jesse Ventura
WWE SummerSlam 1988
Movie • 1988
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Referee)
WrestleMania II
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
WWE SummerSlam 1989
Movie • 1989
Jesse Ventura
WWE SummerSlam 1999
Movie • 1999
Referee
Stuck on You
Movie • 2003
Jesse Ventura (uncredited)
WWF Summer Flashback!
Movie • 1997
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII
Movie • 2024
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WCW SuperBrawl III
Movie • 1993
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentator)
Joe Somebody
Movie • 2001
Himself
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
Movie • 1993
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentary)
Trump: Anatomy of a Man
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
The Master of Disguise
Movie • 2002
Self (uncredited)
WWF: It's Our Time
Movie • 1999
Jesse Ventura
The WWF's Amazing Managers
Movie • 1985
Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
Movie • 1987
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Hulkamania 6
Movie • 1991
Jesse "The Body" Ventura - Commentator
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
Movie • 1987
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Demolition: Witness the Power
Movie • 1989
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Hulk Hogan: Real American
Movie • 1989
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Ultimate Warrior
Movie • 1989
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Macho Madness
Movie • 1988
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The British Bulldogs
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Brains Behind the Brawn
Movie • 1989
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Ken Patera Story
Movie • 1987
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Most Unusual Matches
Movie • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Villains of the Squared Circle
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling Superheroes
Movie • 1990
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling Tough Guys
Movie • 1990
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE SuperTape: Volume 1
Movie • 1990
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
If It Bleeds We Can Kill It: The Making of 'Predator'
Movie • 2000
Self
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
Movie • 1987
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Movie • 1987
Self
WWE Grudge Match
Movie • 1986
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
Movie • 1989
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Arli$$
TV • 1996
Jesse Ventura
Renegade
TV • 1992
Joe Don Butler
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
E! True Hollywood Story
TV • 1996
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
TV • 1992
The X-Files
TV • 1993
Man in Black #1
The Colbert Report
TV • 2005
Raw
TV • 1993
Hunter
TV • 1984
Jesse
Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura
TV • 2009
10 Things Every Guy Should Experience
TV • 2004
Self
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV • 1986
Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Hunter
TV • 1984
Phil Slade
Chelsea
TV • 2016
Self
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
TV • 2012
The Finger (voice)
Real Time with Bill Maher
TV • 2003
Self
Mr. McMahon
TV • 2024
Self (Archival Footage)
Minnesota Experience
TV • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Jesse Ventura
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWF All-Star Wrestling
TV • 1975
Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
WWF All-Star Wrestling
TV • 1975
Jesse Ventura
Raw
TV • 1993
Jesse Ventura
WWE Old School
TV • 1973
Jesse "The Body" Ventura / Jesse Ventura (Commentary)
WWE Old School
TV • 1973
Jesse Ventura (Commentary)
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentary)
Tuesday Night Titans
TV • 1984
Jesse Ventura
Tuesday Night Titans
TV • 1984
Jesse Ventura (Interviewer)
Tuesday Night Titans
TV • 1984
Jesse Ventura (Archive footage)
AWA Arena Shows
TV • 1981
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV • 1981
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Clash of the Champions
TV • 1988
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentary)