Randal Keith "Randy" Orton was born on April 1, 1980, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Bob Orton, Jr. and his wife Elaine. He is the grandson of Bob Orton, Sr. and the nephew of wrestler-turned-musician Barry Orton.
Orton has a younger brother named Nate and a younger sister named Rebecca. Growing up, his parents discouraged him from pursuing a career in professional wrestling due to the time spent away from home and family.
However, Orton was drawn to wrestling and began training on an amateur level while attending Hazelwood Central High School. He graduated in 1998 and then joined the United States Marine Corps, but received a Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD) in 1999 after twice going AWOL and for disobeying a direct order.
After his brief military tenure, Orton opted for a career in professional wrestling. He began training in 2000 and gained experience as a wrestling referee. In 2001, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF),now known as WWE, and began training in its instructional program Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Orton made his debut in 2002 at WrestleMania X8, defeating Tommy Dreamer. He began gaining more televised match time and screen-time for promos, and in 2003, he won his first singles title, the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Orton's career continued to rise, and he won the WWE Championship a total of eight times. He also formed a tag team with Adam Copeland (Edge) and later a stable called Legacy with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr.
Outside of wrestling, Orton has ventured into acting, making his film debut in 2011 in the film That's What I Am. He has also appeared in films such as 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded, The Condemned 2, and Countdown, as well as having a supporting role in the action thriller series Shooter.
Orton's career in the WWE has been marked by his intense matches, charismatic promos, and memorable feuds with other wrestlers. He has established himself as one of the top stars in the company and continues to entertain fans around the world.
