Fans are going wild over the first glimpse of John Cena’s character in the highly anticipated Barbie movie. Greta Gerwig’s film, centered around the iconic Mattel dolls Barbie and Ken, is generating buzz with its star-studded cast. Margot Robbie takes on the titular role of Barbie, while Ryan Gosling portrays Ken. The movie also features acclaimed actors such as Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, Michael Cera, Simu Liu, America Ferrera, and Dua Lipa. One notable name that remained a mystery until now was former WWE star John Cena, who has been revealed to play a Merman named ‘Kenmaid.’
A behind-the-scenes image shared on social media showcases the 46-year-old wrestler sporting a long, realistic-looking blonde curly wig. Cena is seen without a shirt, flaunting his toned physique, and adorns a necklace composed of white shells, pearls, and a large blue shell at the bottom. Though seated in the picture, a hint of blue around his waist suggests the presence of a mermaid tail. The image has left fans in awe and sparked humorous reactions to Cena’s transformation for the live-action adaptation.
One fan expressed their excitement, exclaiming, “PLEASE IM SCREAMING I WAITED FOR THIS,” while another admitted to being stunned, saying, “GASPED SHOOK RAN TO MY MOTHER TO SHOW HER THIS IMMEDIATELY.” A third fan’s interest soared to new heights, questioning, “My interest in this movie just reached impossible levels,” and a fourth couldn’t resist sharing a classic meme, joking, “There is nothing there, just a table with props and wardrobe.”
During an interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, actress Margot Robbie revealed that Cena’s involvement in the film was a spontaneous decision. While they were both shooting movies in London, Robbie bumped into Cena at a restaurant and asked him to take on the role of a merman on the spot. Recounting the encounter, she said, “I ran into him because I went to pay the bill, and they were like, ‘John Cena already took care of it.’ I was like, ‘What? Where is he?’ I mean, he’s a big guy. Yeah, I couldn’t see him. But I was like, he’s hard to hide.”
As Cena was filming at Leavesden, the same location as the Barbie movie, Robbie approached him with an unexpected offer. She asked, “Do you want to come be a merman in Barbie?” and Cena’s response was an enthusiastic “Uh, yeah.” Robbie admitted she was surprised by his immediate agreement, describing him as “so awesome like that.”
John Cena as Kenmaid in ‘BARBIE’. pic.twitter.com/InQ59Ljzlu
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 12, 2023
Cena himself shared his thoughts on the impromptu casting during an interview on NBC News’s Today Show. Reflecting on the serendipitous turn of events, he commented, “It was a happy accident, and I think that Barbie and Fast X share a lot of parallels. The cast list is amazing, the Barbie cast list is amazing, the Fast X cast list is amazing.”
Fans eagerly anticipate the release of Barbie, which is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide on July 21.
