American actor and filmmaker Kevin Sorbo began his career in the 80s doing print and television advertisements across Europe and Australia. He appeared in scores of television commercials, including a Jim Beam whiskey ad that became his first brush with mainstream popularity. Before the decade ran out, the Mound, Minnesota, native pulled off his acting debut, appearing as Lars in a 1986 episode of NBC’s Santa Barbara. His first movie role came in 1992 when he played Dr. Thaddeus Kocinski in Jerrold Freedman’s television film Condition: Critical.
Sorbo was seen in his first big screen project the following year. He portrayed John Willison in James Glickenhaus’ 1993 thriller film Slaughter of the Innocents. Since then, he’s portrayed various characters in popular productions, including Two and a Half Men, Cheers, Murder, She Wrote, and Psych. While he’s guest starred in most of the works that make up his filmography, Kevin Sorbo’s career hasn’t been barren of leading and starring roles.
The Hercules TV Films And Series (1994 – 1999)
The same year the American actor made his film debut, he was cast to play Hercules in a series of television films that became his breakthrough in a competitive industry. He first played the Greek mythical demigod in Hercules and the Amazon Women, which aired in April 1994. Before the year ran out, he reprised the character in four more telefilms—Hercules and the Lost Kingdom, Hercules and the Circle of Fire, Hercules in the Underworld, and Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur.
The success of the films inspired a television series, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, which aired in syndication from January 1995 to November 1999 with a total of 111 episodes across six seasons. He also appeared as Hercules in two episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess, a successful spinoff starring Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor. Hercules remains the most notable lead role of Kevin Sorbo’s storied career. It earned him an Online Film & Television Association Award nomination for Best Actor in a Syndicated Series.
Kull the Conqueror (1997)
Kevin Sorbo starred as Kull in John Nicolella’s Kull the Conqueror, his first leading role in a theatrical film. The action, adventure fantasy adapted from Robert E. Howard’s novel Conan the Conqueror was meant to be the third Conan film with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the lead actor. Following the former professional bodybuilder’s refusal to reprise Conan, the protagonist was changed to Kull for Sorbo, who was skeptical about portraying a character that had already been played by another actor. The movie was released in August 1997 to negative reviews. It was also a commercial failure as it grossed only $6.1 million from a production budget of $30 million. Yet it remains one of the top movie roles of the Hercules actor.
Andromeda (2000 – 2005)
As Captain Dylan Hunt, the Hercules actor takes on another top television role in Gene Roddenberry and Robert Hewitt Wolfe’s Andromeda. The space opera television series aired in syndication from October 2000 to May 2005, pulling in millions of viewers across the United States and other parts of the world. The series follows Dylan Hunt, captain of the Andromeda Ascendant, and his crew in a deep space adventure to restore the government of the Systems Commonwealth that collapsed three centuries ago. While the reviews were unenthusiastic, the series bagged multiple awards throughout its run, including a Best Actor nomination for Sorbo in 2001 from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.
What If… (2010)
What If… stars Kevin Sorbo as Ben Walker alongside Kristy Swanson, Debby Ryan, and John Ratzenberger in a family fantasy drama directed by Dallas Jenkins. The film follows Ben Walker, who wakes from a coma seeking a new life away from his trophy fiancée and lucrative career. This was after an encounter with an angel revealed what would have been if he had stuck with the original plan for his life. What If… was released in August 2010 to mildly positive reviews. While it only managed a 33% positive rating with a 68% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 6.4/10 approval rating on IMDb. For his performance, Sorbo won the 2011 MovieGuide Grace Award for Most Inspiring Movie Acting.
Soul Surfer (2011)
Kevin Sorbo starred as Holt Blanchard alongside AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid, and Carrie Underwood in the biographical drama film based on Bethany Hamilton’s 2004 autobiography. Directed by Sean McNamara, the film revolves around the life of Hamilton, depicting how the surfer lost her left arm in a shark attack and her journey to recovery.
The movie received mixed reviews upon its release but was a commercial success as it grossed over $47 million at the box office against a budget of $18 million. Although Sorbo played a supporting role, his performance contributed to the multiple awards the movie received, including an ESPY Award nomination for Best Sports Movie. Sorbo, Quaid, and Robb were also nominated for Movieguide’s Most Inspiring Performance in Movies.
God’s Not Dead (2014)
A devout Christian, Kevin Sorbo has been seen in several Christian films, including 2023’s Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist and 2017’s Let There Be Light, both of which he directed. 2014’s God’s Not Dead, directed by Harold Cronk, is perhaps his most notable role in a Christian movie. He stars as Jeffrey Radisson, a proud atheist and philosophy professor compelled to revisit his convictions about God. This was after a new student in his class challenged his demand for students to sign a declaration asserting that God’s Dead. The movie grossed over $64 million at the box office against a $2 million budget. The commercial success inspired three sequels: 2016’s God’s Not Dead 2, 2018’s God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness, and 2021’s God’s Not Dead: We the People.
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