Since the ’80s, several pro-wrestling giants have attempted to transition into the realm of movies, but only a few did manage to prevail on the silver screen. And similar was the case for John Cena for nearly a decade, when he started out in showbiz back in the 2000s but was met with little success, as his movies failed to make it big at the box office.
While it seemed his acting career might’ve been heading towards the same track as Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Triple H’s run in showbiz, one change ended up salvaging his career.
John Cena Had to Change His Ways After Hitting a Roadblock in Hollywood
Similar to many other pro-wrestling giants, including Dwayne Johnson, John Cena kickstarted his acting career by playing action-heavy leads. However, his first feature, The Marine, became a box-office dud, only earning $22M from a $15M budget. And things didn’t meliorate for Cena with his next projects, including 2009’s 12 Rounds and 2010’s Legendary, as both failed critically and commercially.
While it seemed his run in Hollywood was on the verge of meeting the same end as that of Hulk Hogan and Triple H, Cena fortunately shifted away from being typecast into action-heavy lead roles. With 2015’s Trainwreck becoming Cena’s first major hit, which saw the WWE Champion starring as a supporting figure, he doubled down on playing more supporting gigs with Daddy’s Home 2 and Ferdinand. Eventually, Cena landed his biggest role in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, whose critical success led to him starring in his own show, Peacemaker, which further boosted his career.
John Cena’s Agency Advised Him Against Starring as Merman in Barbie
While John Cena was more than happy to put his acting chops on display with more diverse and brief gigs, his agency was against the idea of him starring in Barbie. Appearing on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show, the WWE Superstar revealed that his agency advised him against starring as Merman Ken, claiming it was beneath him. However, Cena thought otherwise, as he was immediately on board after Margot Robbie offered him the part.
He explained:
“But I think the perspective from an agency standpoint was ‘This is beneath you,’ which I get that. But also to the agency’s credit, immediately they acted … but all they can do is offer their guidance. They’re not ultimately making the choice and their guidance is, ‘Hey, truly, trickle-down economics from this might take you out of these lead leap slots.’ And I get all that. I’ve always operated under the philosophy of good work gets you another chance.”
With Cena continuing to star in more supporting roles, including his stint in 2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, he will once again star in the lead with Peacemaker Season 2.
Trainwreck is available to stream on Max.
