Beyond being a world-famous WWE wrestler, John Cena has more to celebrate. Throughout his decades-long career, Cena, 49, has made a name for himself in acting, appearing in movies like “Ready to Rumble,” “The Marine,” and recently, “Superman.” As he adds more roles to his portfolio, Cena is also thanking his lucky stars for the chance to keep working, revealing that he was pushed out of the movie industry early in his career.
John Cena Has Come To Love Acting, But It Was A ‘Long Journey’
Appearing on “The Today Show,” Cena opened up about his latest film, “Matchbox the Movie,” which releases on Apple TV on October 9.
During the conversation, the former “Total Divas” star also reflected on his decades-long career in front of the camera, admitting he’s come a long way since his early days on set.
“It’s been a long journey. I think that’s the important one; people think things happen overnight,” Cena said. “Those early projects — truth be told — I didn’t have my heart into.”
In addition to “Ready to Rumble” in the year 2000, Cena snagged roles in “12 Rounds,” “Legendary,” and “The Reunion!”
John Cena Opens Up About Being Forced Out Of The Movie Industry
When he landed those early-2000s roles, Cena was also at the height of his WWE career, performing for sold-out crowds worldwide. Understandably, Cena’s mind and focus were on that whenever he was away.
“As a young 20-something, God, traveling the world, being out in front of tens of thousands of people every night going nuts and then doing it night after night, that’s where I wanted to be, and that’s where I felt comfortable and fluent,” he said.
Consequently, Cena said his lack of “patience” on certain sets led to him being iced out of the industry for a little while. “I got run out of the movie business for not caring, and that’s justifiably so. If you don’t care about something, give somebody the opportunity that does,” he said.
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John Cena Has Made A Comeback After Developing A Passion For His Work
Over the last several years, however, Cena has made quite the comeback, acting in “The Suicide Squad,” “Ricki Stanicky” alongside Zac Efron, and the 2026 comedy film, “Coyote vs. Acme.”
Cena told “The Today Show” co-hosts that he’s since developed a passion for acting and the process, including the promotion and behind-the-scenes magic. “I’m so lucky to be given a second chance. And that took 20 years to craft,” he said.
Speaking with Craig Melvin, Cena acknowledged it took longer than he’d liked to develop the maturity he has today, but he expressed gratitude for it nonetheless.
“Man, I think there’s nothing wrong with taking inventory of yourself, looking in the mirror, loving yourself for your strengths and your flaws and trying to work to be better than you were yesterday,” he said.
Cena Is Doing What He Can To Preserve His Hair
Earlier this year, Cena was also candid with fans about another aspect of his life: his hair. According to The Blast, Cena previously shaved his hair to undergo a second round of hair loss treatment.
“The objective is to get more hair, and this was the best way to do it, talking with Ken Anderson, my doctor over there,” Cena said about the move, adding that his doctor has totally “changed my life.”
However, getting his hair to grow back isn’t a walk in the park. As he explained, the first operation was nearly 14 hours, while the second was eight.
“And I’m rocking this hair thing with the promise that he’s working,” he said boldly. “I have full trust and faith in him with this process.”
What Led Cena To Look Into Hair Recovery Options?
Cena shared in August 2025 that he began looking for ways to preserve his hair after WWE fans called him out for trying to hide his hair loss.
The former reality star said the wrestling community “held me accountable” and forced him to acknowledge the truth.
“They don’t let you get away with phoning it in, because they’ll eat you alive,” he said. “That’s what a good support system does.”
The John Cena Admits The Real Reason He Was ‘Ran Out Of The Movie Business’ After Early Films first appeared on The Blast