Over the years, it’s become clear that not every WWE star can become insanely successful in Hollywood, unless they’re like Dwayne Johnson and John Cena. Both men have had successful film and series projects since moving on from the world of wrestling (although Cena did return recently to WWE Raw).
For starters, Johnson has starred in various box office hits, including some Fast and Furious movies, the Jumanji films, and the Netflix hit Red Notice. Not to mention, he’s also preparing to make his debut as the DCEU’s Black Adam. Meanwhile, Cena recently starred in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, and he also currently has his own DC Comics series, Peacemaker. And while these men appear to know each other quite well, are they really friends or just associates?
Dwayne Johnson And John Cena Famously Feuded In WWE
It all started back in 2011. Johnson returned to WWE after stepping away to host WrestleMania 27. When he did, Cena bashed him openly. That was just the beginning, however. The feud between the two got so heated that they even decided to book a WrestleMania a year in advance.
And while Cena and Johnson managed to work together in a tag-team match against R-Truth and The Miz, the rivalry between the two men remained. The two stars would even go on to fight each other in the ring through WrestleMania 28 and WrestleMania 29.
The situation between the two also seems to have been aggravated by Cena’s comments regarding Johnson’s career choice.
“He, at one point, loved wrestling and wanted to do this all of his life. Explain to me why he can't come back for a 15th Anniversary show or why he can't make an appearance at WrestleMania. Simply put it's because he wants to be an actor,” Cena said of Johnson.
“Just don't f*** me around and tell me that you love this when you are just doing this to do something else. That's the only thing that gets me really pissed off.”
John Cena Credits Dwayne Johnson For Giving Him Confidence About Pursuing Acting
Later on, Cena admitted that he regrets making negative comments about Johnson’s decision to prioritize his acting over wrestling, especially after he started to pursue projects outside the WWE himself.
“It was stupid of me. It genuinely was. That was my perspective at the time,” Cena admitted. “For me to not be able to see Dwayne’s vision on what he wanted to do personally, and how his personal success could affect a growing global brand, that was just ignorant on my part.”
Cena also admitted that when he made those comments, he just wanted Johnson “selfishly, on Monday Night Raw and on Smackdown Live.”
“We have our blinders on, sometimes, in these daily situations of life, and, to me, my thing was, ‘Hey man, as a fan, I loved you performing in this venue all the time, you left us high and dry, why aren’t you back here? It’s obvious you’re still healthy and obvious you’re still capable,’” he explained.
The wrestler/actor has also said that he has since understood Johnson’s goal in making a move to movies. “On the other side of the fence, I didn’t see the man who is so driven to crush the stereotype of ‘pro wrestlers are just pro wrestlers, and they can do nothing more, period,’” Cena further said.
“Here we are, when Rock left in 2002, it didn’t happen overnight for him, and through fifteen years of hard work, he is the number one box office draw in the world.”
He also believes that Johnson is “proof” that there’s more to WWE stars than wrestling.
Are John Cena And Dwayne Johnson On Good Terms Today?
Cena also revealed that he has since spoken with Johnson since making those statements. “I’ve apologized to him in person, I’ve apologized to him publicly,” he said.
“I was completely wrong in the approach that I took. It was one-sided and selfish, and I’m glad the way it worked out, but I apologize for not being able to see his side of the fence.”
Since then, it also seems that Johnson and Cena have become pretty good friends. In fact, when Cena was just starting in films and Johnson already had several blockbuster hits, The Rock gave him the best piece of advice.
“He said, 'They asked you there for a reason dude; just be yourself,’” Cena revealed. That allowed him enough confidence to take on Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, which became a hit.
At present, Johnson and Cena have several films lined up. Hence, it doesn’t look like they’ll be doing a film together soon despite both stars having a presence in the Fast & Furious franchise and the DCEU. Cena, however, has already set that he’d love to star alongside Johnson at some point. Perhaps, the ball is now in Johnson’s court.