John Cena’s Transformation from Struggling WWE Wrestler to Hollywood Superstar Will Inspire You

There are many wrestlers who leave their jobs to become actors – you may have seen it coming since it’s a well-known fact that most of the fights are staged. Because wrestlers are already well-known even prior to their entrance into the film industry, it isn’t hard for them to build their brand in the industry.

There are some whose transition into full-time acting is so great they make it big, and props to them because they do not only make it big inside the ring but also in movies.

One of those who made a name for themselves in the show business is John Cena, who proved that he was more than just a wrestler. For Cena’s avid fans, they would know him from his entrance song “You Can’t See Me” which he sang himself.

Basically, he’s one of the good guys in the wrestling world and he earned the crowd for being just that – skilled in his own way and after a firm believer that cheating won’t win people’s hearts.

lev radin/Shutterstock
John Cena started out as a great wrestler before trying out his luck at acting

John Cena’s WWE History

But who is he? Cena, apart from the handsome face and a physique that you think can crush a car, has actually a laudable record he painstakingly earned during his several years of tenure with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

During his matches, he showed nothing but his A game and even defeated some of the Hall of Famers like Batista, The Rock, Randy Orton, Triple H, and Brock Lesnar. He gained a lot of belts as well during his high-time with the company – he was five-time US Champion.

Not only that, Cena holds the record for granting the most Make-A-Wish requests, wherein the stars would visit ill children in the hopes of uplifting their spirits and giving them hope and joy.

The 41-year-old has made more than 500 visits and his motto “Never Give Up” had found a deeper sense to it thanks to his good deeds. Meanwhile, it is also in the ring where he proposed to Nikki Bella, a wrestling diva herself.

Wrestler’s Debut

With so many fans and supporters and, as per his matches, very convincing acting skills, it was a no-brainer that he entered the professional acting scene.

Cena starred in the 2006 film “The Marine,” an action movie that revolved around a soldier who comes home only to find out that his wife was taken, which sounds like “Taken”-ish.

The lead character John Triton, however, was specially written for Steve Austin, another wrestler, but after he decided to part ways with WWE, the role was offered to Orton, who, again, couldn’t take on the part.

John Cena’s first films “The Marine” and “12 Rounds” didn’t do so well on the box office

The rapper also starred in 2009’s action film “12 Rounds,” where he played Officer Danny Fisher, whose fiancee was kidnapped after he accidentally killed a thief’s girlfriend.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that there is something with the directors casting him for a storyline that puts him as a knight in shining armor – that and the fact that he was always placed in action films. Although he did an amazing job in his films, he wasn’t quite as appreciated back then as an actor.

On Comedy

That changed in 2015, when he ventured into comedy films, appearing into “Sisters,” “Trainwreck,” and “Daddy’s Home.” The audience realized that Cena has a natural talent in this genre, something that he could do without trying and sounding so hard.

After those projects, these were followed with even more hilarious characters, cameos, and appearances in movies like “Daddy’s Home 2” and “Blockers.”

When people saw John Cena in comedy films, it immediately clicked for them

Now, the wrestler-cum-actor is going to star in another action-comedy film for Netflix, which will be produced and directed by Jason Bateman. Penning the script is Mark Perez, who is responsible for the 2018 comedy movie “Game Night.”

The plot goes like this: a family gets stuck in a movie house where the sets come to life, thereby exposing the family to different films. Cena also stars alongside Jacki Chan in “Project X-Traction” and another comedy project is in store for him, “Playing With Fire,” with shooting to start on Feb. 4.