John Cena says he was "run out of the movie business" 15 years ago for "doing bad movies where I wasn't present"

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John Cena recalls his early acting career

John Cena as Chris Smith AKA Peacemaker in Peacemaker season 1.
(Image credit: WarnerMedia)

John Cena says he only started acting to get more people to watch WWE, but he started out "doing bad movies" where he "wasn't present."

"I was run out of the movie business in 2009 for doing bad movies where I wasn’t present," the wrestler-turned-actor said in a new interview with People. "I thought that just because I wore a golden leather belt on Monday and Friday, they’d come see whatever I’m doing. It’s not true."

Most recently, he was seen in Superman, where he made a cameo as his DC character Christopher Smith, AKA Peacemaker. He's set to reprise the role later this month in the second season of Peacemaker, which "has changed my life," he told the publication. "It’s a great show that’s more than just action. It’s a love story. It’s a workplace comedy. We’re the long shots, the lovable losers."

Emily Garbutt
Emily Garbutt
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

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