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His achievements spanned both bodybuilding's highest honors and cinematic stardom. Reeves retired at just 24, having dominated the competition scene and then captivated audiences worldwide with his portrayal of Hercules, birthing an entire genre of sword-and-sandal epics and becoming Europe's highest-paid actor in the process. Ironically, his fame was so significant that studios couldn't afford his salary for certain roles—such as James Bond—leading him to pass opportunities that would embed him further into the Hollywood canon.