John Cena’s Agency Wanted Him To Turn down Barbie Cameo

Wrestler and actor John Cena has revealed that his agency wasn’t too keen on the idea of his recent cameo in Barbie.

On The Howard Stern Show, the star explained that his agency’s job is to see things as commodities and guide them. As such, the agency told Cena he should turn down his cameo as a mermaid in Barbie, with the actor assuming the perspective was that it was “beneath him.” He then notes that the agency gave in when he said he’d be doing it regardless.

“[The agency is] just going on what they know,” Cena stated (via Variety). “And what they know is, ‘This entity, this commodity gravitates toward these things, we should stay in this lane.’ But I’m not a commodity. I’m a human being, and I operate under the construct of every opportunity is an opportunity.

“Margot was like, ‘We’ll make you a mermaid. You’ll be in it for half a day.’ Yeah, sure. But I think the perspective from an agency standpoint was, ‘This is beneath you,’ which I get that. But also to the agency’s credit, immediately they acquiesced, and I was like, ‘No we’re going to do it,’ but all they can do is offer their guidance.”

Who else starred in Barbie?

Barbie was directed by Greta Gerwig from a screenplay she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach. It was produced by Robbie and Tom Ackerly for LuckyChap and Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner along with Josey McNamara and Ynon Kreiz. The film starred Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Kate McKinnon, Ariana Greenblatt, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Hari Nef, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Dua Lipa, and more.