John Cena turned down the chance to play a merman in “Barbie,” saying it was “below him.”
The 46-year-old wrestler-turned-actor revealed that he was advised by his team not to star in the film, which went on to become a record-breaking worldwide box office hit of £1.47 billion, and that he was not easily entertained during filming. It was on the same studio lot as the film he was making at the time, Fast X, which he said he could have played the role in.
He spoke on “The Howard Stern Show” about how his advisors caused him to miss out. I don't have a public relations department. I have a manager because it's me and him.
“We're like forked forks. And agencies that go looking for work, but I don't ignore them, they just keep doing what they know.
“And what they know is, 'This entity, this product gravitates towards these things, we should stay in this lane.'”
“But I'm not a commodity. I'm a human being, and I operate under the idea that every opportunity is an opportunity.”
John was offered the role of the merman in Barbie when he happened to meet star Margot Robbie, 33, on the studio grounds.
Even though Barbie's producers and lead actress said she would only be on the blockbuster for “half a day,” the agency was still unconvinced.
On how they understood their business approach even as the film continued to be a huge hit, John added: “I think the perspective from an agency perspective was, ‘This is below you.’ I get that.”
“But to the agency's credit, they immediately acquiesced and I was like, 'No, I'll do it,' but all they can do is provide guidance. All I had to do was do it.
“They're not making the final choice. And their guiding principle is, “Future economic impacts could move us out of the lead lap slot.''
“And it all makes sense. I've always operated on the philosophy that if you do a good job, you'll get a second chance.”