John Cena in 'Matchbox The Movie.' Apple TV
LOS ANGELES — John Cena may have achieved one of his childhood dreams when he became a WWE champion, but several others never made it past his younger years.
Cena reflected on the dreams he had as a child while promoting “Matchbox The Movie,” an action comedy in which he plays a CIA spy who reunites with his childhood friends, only to find themselves caught up in an unexpected mission after the group is kidnapped.
Asked which of his childhood dreams survived into adulthood, Cena said professional sports accounted for many of the ones that did not.
“A lot of them did not. A lot of them revolved around professional sports,” Cena said. “I also wanted to be the front man for an ’80s rock band at some point.”
One dream, however, became a reality.
“The one that did was be a WWE champion,” he said.
Cena recalled a photograph taken when he was about 8 years old in which he was holding up a championship belt he had made himself.
“There is an iconic picture that the WWE has and shows every so often of me at like 8 years old holding up a paper championship,” he said. “I made my own, and gosh, I actually got to do that as a grown-up.”
The theme of childhood dreams also resonated with Cena’s co-stars.
Jessica Biel joked that her dream of becoming an Olympic gymnast “died a smoldering death,” but said she was able to fulfill her other ambition of becoming an actor and performer.
For Teyonah Parris, the film explores what happens when people set aside their dreams and later rediscover their ambitions.
“I think that’s what’s great about the movie, is that you get to see these characters who have dreams, who had things that they let go of at a certain point, and then get to find their spark and their ambitions,” Parris said.
Sam Richardson said he is grateful that he is now able to pursue his childhood ambitions professionally, while Arturo Castro said the cast shares an appreciation for being able to do what they once dreamed of doing.
“Everybody is aware and grateful that they get to do the thing that they dreamt of doing, and so we don’t take it for granted,” Castro said.
Beyond his work in wrestling and film, Cena has also become known for his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he has granted wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Cena said his interactions with the children, their families and the people who help make those wishes possible have inspired him to become a better person.
“There are so many instances where I’ve been inspired to be a better human being: from my interaction with the Make-A-Wish charity, not only with the families and the children that I’ve met, but with the people involved in the charity itself, administrating these wishes,” he said.
“Matchbox The Movie” begins streaming on Apple TV on October 9. -- With report from Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN News