John Cena On If He Enjoys Playing ‘Heel Characters’ In Movies: Of Course I Do, That’s The Glory of Being A Performer

John Cena comments on playing ‘the bad guy’ in acting roles that he has taken, noting that is the glory of being a performer.

Over the course of his WWE career, John Cena was largely a babyface, with runs at the beginning and end of his career as a heel. In the world of acting, Cena has never been shy to play a villain or a character that audiences will not like for their actions in the movies and TV shows he appears in.

While speaking to Sports Illustrated in a new interview, John Cena was asked if he enjoys playing the bad guy in movies and what the biggest challenge for him is in acting.

“I think the biggest challenge lies with the audience because they’ve allowed me into their living room for the past 23, 24 years, as a character. We’ve formed a great relationship with the viewing audience that watches WWE. So I think the challenge comes with trying to suspend that disbelief of, I’m watching this film and I don’t see John, I see Buddy Crane. When you ask of like, ‘hey, do I enjoy playing these characters?’ Of course I do. People may see a virtuous side of me on WWE programming. I think that’s the glory of being a performer. You get these opportunities. Somebody like Dave Green will place a bet on you and say, ‘hey, I know people know you as this. position you as this, and I’m gonna challenge you as a director to work outside of your comfort zone, and I’m gonna coach you the best way I can, and hopefully we’ll get something people believe in.’ But man, that’s the dress-up business. I really do like being able to take the perspective of another character, another point of view.”

Elsewhere in another recent interview, Cena spoke about the instruments he has been learning to play. You can read more about that here.

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