John Cena is a global superstar. He's arguably the greatest professional wrestler of all-time, and now, he's a huge name in the movie business. Yet, his transition to Hollywood wasn't a smooth ride.
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During a recent interview with PEOPLE, Cena recalled his first on-screen movie role in The Marine. The action flick aired 20 years ago in 2006. The WWE superstar admits that at the time, the role was both "overwhelming and then immediately disappointing."
Unfortunately for Cena, he believes The Marine ultimately cost him some movie bookings at the time.
"That really led me to pretty much lose those [acting] opportunities. I pretty much was run out of town for the movie business in 2009, 2010," he recalled. "It was my own fault."
Fortunately for Cena, he still had his role as the top baby face within the WWE Universe to fall back on. The beauty of being the top guy, or gal, in the WWE is that acting roles will always circle back around. After all, you have a pre-built fanbase that will head out to watch their favorite star continue their transition into their post-wrestling career.
The problem for Cena wasn't that he couldn't act; instead, he struggled with the slow and methodical process of filmmaking.
"Making movies is a patient process, and everyone there has a meaningful position, and I came from a world of live performance where it's very different," Cena detailed. "And you gotta keep in mind in 2004, heck, I was in my mid-20s, and I was WWE champion...Every town I went to, there were thousands of people either screaming that I'm awesome or screaming that I suck at the top of their lungs; it was like there was nothing like it. There's no feeling like it."
John Cena Got His Career Back on Track in 2015
In 2015, Cena's fortunes in the movie industry began to change. He starred in Trainwreck and Daddy's Home. According to him, that's when he began to change his perspective regarding filmmaking and the acting industry.
"That really helped me get a second chance that I know might not have been fully earned, but opportunity comes, and I answered the door, and I'm really trying to do the best I can with it," Cena explained.
Cena recently retired from the WWE. He still appears as a special guest, but has ruled out returning to the ring. His focus has now fully shifted into the acting phase of his life. He's already emerging as a huge name in Hollywood, and now, given his full focus, the sky is the limit.
