Given that WWE involves wrestlers playing characters, it makes sense for them to give acting a try at some point. However, only a couple of superstars have gone on to become big box office draws in Hollywood, the most notable of whom is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson . However, John Cena isn’t too far behind “The Great One,” though he claims that it was Johnson who opened the door for him to succeed as a movie star in his own right.
During an interview with Cinemablend , Cena opened up about the role Johnson played in changing the perception of wrestlers in Hollywood, stating that he believes the future Hall of Famer was the first to transcend the reputation of only been known for WWE.
“He just made it acceptable to be something other than your wrestling persona. If you look at the correlation of wrestlers or WWE personalities in movies, they essentially played extensions of their WWE personality. I think Dwayne was one of the first ones to break that mold, and do it on such a grand scale that he couldn’t be ignored.”
Johnson is one of the most popular movie stars on the planet these days. As documented by Forbes , he topped the list of the world’s highest-paid actors last year. His movies tend to make hundreds of millions at the box office, and he is arguably more known for his blockbusters than he is for his in-ring career.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Johnson has become so popular that his life is even being turned into a sitcom called Young Rock , which will chronicle his younger years.
A ROCK BOTTOM… from @JohnCena ?!? It happened at The Showcase of the Immortals! @therock #HappyBirthdayCena #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/xGg9sYKMEU
— WWE (@WWE) April 23, 2017
Cena has also been making quite a name for himself in Hollywood in recent years. On top of starring in hits like Bumblebee , he has followed in Johnson’s footsteps by joining the Fast and Furious franchise . Furthermore, he will also have a major starring role in James Gunn’s upcoming sequel to Suicide Squad , where he will join the likes of Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, and more.
Cena also discussed why it’s difficult for the WWE superstar to make the transition to the big screen. According to the multi-time World Champion, it’s similar to actors who are only known for one role and are unable to be viewed as anything else.
“I just think we have a lot of talented individuals that could be good in other avenues. It’s just by being on every week without a break, perception is reality.”
However, as Johnson and Cena have shown, it’s not impossible for superstars to go to Hollywood and craft a new image for themselves.
