John Cena Signs Up for Comedy Success with Little Brother

John Cena's latest film, Little Brother, has become a comedy hit on Netflix, thanks in part to his fearless approach to humor. The WWE legend stars alongside Eric André in the movie, which follows Rudd (Cena), a real estate agent whose life is disrupted by his quirky 'little brother' Marcus (André).

What happened?

Cena's character, Rudd, is a meticulously planned real estate agent whose life is turned upside down when his quirky 'little brother' Marcus resurfaces. The film, directed by Matt Spicer, also stars Michelle Monaghan and Christopher Meloni.

Why it matters for John Cena

Cena's comedic fearlessness is fully on display in Little Brother, and he credits his WWE career for teaching him the importance of being authentic and taking risks. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cena explained that the audience in WWE is vocal and honest, and that he learned to trust the process and be willing to fail.

What comes next?

Cena is set to star in another comedy film, One Attempt Remaining, opposite Jennifer Garner. The film, directed by Kay Cannon, is a crypto comedy that Cena is excited to be a part of. Cannon praised Cena's ability to elevate every scene he's in, saying that he's a joy to work with.

During the interview, Cena also discussed how his wrestling career prepared him for success in comedy. He explained that the audience in WWE is always looking for authenticity, and that he learned to trust the process and be willing to fail. Cena also talked about how he maintains hope amid our divided cultural moment, saying that he believes in the power of comedy to bring people together.

How did John Cena become a comedy star?

Cena's career in WWE taught him the importance of being authentic and taking risks. He credits the audience in WWE for being vocal and honest, and for pushing him to be his best. Cena's fearlessness in comedy is a result of this training, and he's excited to see where it takes him next.

Cena's latest film, Little Brother, is currently streaming on Netflix. He's also set to star in another comedy film, One Attempt Remaining, opposite Jennifer Garner. With his fearless approach to humor and his willingness to take risks, John Cena is sure to continue making waves in the comedy world.

And, as Cena himself said, 'I'm trying to protect my daughter in Blockers. In Little Brother, Michelle Monaghan's character comes to an impasse of like, "I'm going to do whatever was within my control to make things better." She gets advice from Eric's character, and then we have what you would refer to as a callback to Blockers where she does something outside of her comfort zone.'

Cena's career in WWE has given him the skills to excel in comedy, and he's excited to see where it takes him next. With his fearless approach to humor and his willingness to take risks, John Cena is sure to continue making waves in the comedy world.

The performer remains busier than ever, as he stars opposite Jennifer Garner in Netflix's 2027 crypto comedy One Attempt Remaining from filmmaker Kay Cannon, who directed Cena in 2018's Blockers. "This is my second time working with him, and I love it each time because he elevates everything he's given, and he's willing to try anything," Cannon tells THR. "I'm excited for audiences to see him add 'romantic lead' to the growing list of things at which he excels."

And no less of a comedy authority than Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Farrelly, who directed Cena in 2024's Ricky Stanicky, told THR, "Without question, I would say John was the most prepared actor I've ever worked with. On the first day, he knew the entire script from front to back, every line."

During the below conversation with THR, Cena discusses how his wrestling trajectory taught him the proper way to play for laughs, how it felt to see a World Cup player imitate his famous "You can't see me" gesture and how he maintains hope amid our divided cultural moment.

**You had a memorable scene in Blockers that involves a beer bong. It came to mind for me during a moment in Little Brother involving your backside. Did this remind you of filming Blockers?**

I remember when we did the ass-chug scene in Blockers, everybody's like, "Are you OK with this?" I know what I'm signing up for. Enthusiastically, let's do some ass-chugging. I'm trying to protect my daughter in Blockers. In Little Brother, Michelle [Monaghan's] character comes to an impasse of like, "I'm going to do whatever was within my control to make things better." She gets advice from Eric's character, and then we have what you would refer to as a callback to Blockers where she does something outside of her comfort zone.

**How did your career lead to this point where you excel at comedy?**

For any origin to my bravery, the credit has to be given to WWE. The audience is vocal and honest and harsh. You understand that you aren't cool for any long period of time. The biggest mistake you can make with that audience is by not being authentic, by not going for it, by trying to make safe choices. I took that lesson to every aspect I get to do to perform. It's simply the wholehearted investment of the material and not doing gags for the sake of gags. You also have to trust the process and be willing to fail. It is not a conservative choice. Toward the end of my WWE career, I was heavily winkin