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John Cena’s ‘second chance’ at Hollywood: the F9 actor on starring in DC Comics’ The Suicide Squad as the ‘ridiculous’ Peacemaker – interview

STORYTribune News Service
US actor and wrestler John Cena poses on the red carpet ahead of the world premiere of DC film The Suicide Squad in Los Angeles, California, on August 2 – part of what he calls his ‘second chance’ in Hollywood. Photo: EPA-EFE
US actor and wrestler John Cena poses on the red carpet ahead of the world premiere of DC film The Suicide Squad in Los Angeles, California, on August 2 – part of what he calls his ‘second chance’ in Hollywood. Photo: EPA-EFE
Fame and celebrity

  • Appearing alongside Margot Robbie and Idris Elba in The Suicide Squad, the WWE wrestler bounced back from his ‘bad’ 2000s films in Trainwreck with Amy Schumer
  • In the ring for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam, in 2022 he will star in HBO Max series Peacemaker, and thriller Argyll with Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa

Star of The Suicide Squad, now hitting cinemas across the globe and on HBO Max, John Cena says he is making the most of his “second chance” in Hollywood.

After two decades in a pro wrestling ring, Cena’s no stranger to uniform commitment. For years he entertained thousands wearing jean shorts, ball caps, throwback sports jerseys, Reebok Pump basketball shoes and occasionally a padlock chain around his sizeable neck.

From left, David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba and Daniela Melchior in a scene from The Suicide Squad. Photo: Warner Bros/AP
From left, David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba and Daniela Melchior in a scene from The Suicide Squad. Photo: Warner Bros/AP
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Still, it’s quite a surprising sight when the 44-year-old wrestler/actor, who’s amassed a considerable fortune from his appearances in and out of the ring, hops on for a video chat interview clad in the shiny silver helmet, blue gloves and tight, dove-bedecked shirt of Peacemaker, his patriotic super jerk in The Suicide Squad.

“I’ve locked myself in this hotel room because people chased me up here thinking I was some sort of performer on Hollywood Boulevard,” Cena deadpans before heading to an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in LA with Squad co-star Margot Robbie and writer/director James Gunn.

From left, David Dastmalchian, John Cena, the character King Shark, Idris Elba and Daniela Melchior in The Suicide Squad. Photo: Warner Bros/TNS
From left, David Dastmalchian, John Cena, the character King Shark, Idris Elba and Daniela Melchior in The Suicide Squad. Photo: Warner Bros/TNS

Why is he wearing a Peacemaker outfit in public whenever he can? “We have a wonderfully beautiful, absurd movie that nobody is ready to see but everybody needs in their life,” Cena says of Squad.

After recently wrapping up the first season of the HBO Max spin-off series Peacemaker (premiering in January), Cena’s now back in wrestling gear: WWE’s “Summer of Cena” has him working shows and getting ready to take on Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam on August 21.

Cast and crew including Nathan Fillion, Storm Reid, Margot Robbie, John Cena, James Gunn, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney and Daniela Melchior attend the Warner Bros. premiere of The Suicide Squad at Regency Village Theatre on August 2, in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Getty Images/AFP
Cast and crew including Nathan Fillion, Storm Reid, Margot Robbie, John Cena, James Gunn, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney and Daniela Melchior attend the Warner Bros. premiere of The Suicide Squad at Regency Village Theatre on August 2, in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Always a good guy when he’s in the ring, on screen is where Cena gets to play the heel. In F9 this summer, he played the antagonistic little brother to Vin Diesel’s franchise anti-hero. And in Squad, Peacemaker is one of several supervillains running black ops missions for the government.