Hulk Hogan has tragically passed away at the age of 71. His memorable performance as Thunderlips in "Rocky III" is a 1980s classic.

This legendary actor recalls being surprised by the late Hulk Hogan while the two were filming a cult classic movie with a 65% fresh rating on RT.

Hogan was popular in the world of professional wrestling before the movie debuted. But when he landed the role of the wrestler who took on Rocky in a charity match, he became a worldwide star. He made an appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and after that, he became a celebrity beyond the wrestling world.

The franchise follows the story of an underdog boxer Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone, who gets a million-to-one shot at the world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. ‘Rocky’ spans over six films, nine if you include the ‘Creed’ spin-offs.

Before The Rock morphed into movie star Dwayne Johnson, and well-before John Cena traded his jorts for a Peacemaker helmet, Terry “ Hulk Hogan ” Bollea made the leap from a professional-wrestling ring to Hollywood.

Savage defined the larger-than-life personalities of the 1980s World Wrestling Federation. He wore sequined robes bejeweled with “Macho Man” on the back, rainbow-colored cowboy hats and oversized sunglasses, part of a unique look that helped build the WWF into a mainstream phenomenon.

The Hulkster was not perfect, but through his commitment and resolve became a staple in American culture, writes columnist LeBron Hill.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hulk Hogan's best movie roles, including 'Rocky III' (Thunderlips is here!)