Los Angeles [US], June 20 : Actor and former WWE star John Cena has opened up about taking on a different kind of role in the upcoming comedy film 'Little Brother', saying the project allowed him to showcase a more vulnerable and dramatic side of himself, according to People.
Speaking to People on the red carpet, Cena said he was excited to work with comedian Eric Andre and take on a "straight man" role in the film, which begins streaming on Netflix on June 26.
"The fact that Eric would wanna take a bet on me in a different capacity," Cena said while discussing what attracted him to the project. "This is a comedy, it's a physical comedy, but Eric's doing a lot of the heavy comedic lifting and I get to kind of be the more serious role that is more vulnerable, is more dramatic."
Cena added that he appreciated Andre's confidence in casting him against type.
"People don't make those bets on me and I'm very happy that he was like, 'I think you'd be good for this part,'" he said, as per the outlet.
In Little Brother, Cena plays Rudd, a successful man whose life is thrown into chaos when a former participant from a Big Brother-Little Brother youth programme, played by Eric Andre, unexpectedly re-enters his life years later.
The actor revealed that his connection with Andre dates back to 2020, when he appeared on The Eric Andre Show. Cena said he had long admired Andre's work and was intrigued when the comedian shared the script with him.
"I was a fan of the show," Cena said, adding that Andre "passed [Little Brother's script] on to me, said, 'Give it a read, tell me what you think.'"
Praising his co-star's abilities, Cena described the film as a showcase of Andre's talent.
"This is a vehicle for him to show the world exactly how talented he is and he needed somebody to literally bounce around off of," Cena said. "I read it. I knew it was gonna be great for him and after that it was just a matter of getting the right team," as per the outlet.
Known in recent years for his comedic performances and his role as Peacemaker in the superhero series Peacemaker, Cena said stepping into a more restrained role was another opportunity for growth as an actor.
"It's the same thing as what's it like stepping into a WWE ring when no one believed that I could make it or what's it like getting a chance to be around funny people when I'd been wrestling for 15 years and it was my first chance at true comedy," he said.
"This should be the challenge of the profession, to establish yourself certainly and to work to keep the lights on, but constantly want to grow and sometimes that's a leap and sometimes maybe that's just an inch."
Reflecting on the importance of taking creative risks, Cena added, "Knowing that you're going to take a risk. With risk there certainly can be reward, but there might be setback along the way and still having the courage to try to take the risk," according to People.
Directed by Matt Spicer from a script by Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel, 'Little Brother' is set to be released on Netflix on June 26.