The 16-time World Champion, John Cena has achieved remarkable success and popularity as a WWE wrestler and an actor, but he faced many challenges on his way to stardom. In a candid interview with Kevin Hart on his show Hart to Heart, Cena shared his early career struggles, such as living in his car and surviving on free pizza in Los Angeles.
John Cena revealed that he did not move to LA to pursue entertainment but to apply for his degree in exercise physiology. However, he failed to find a job in his field and ended up homeless. He said he slept in his 1991 Lincoln Town Car, which he described as “very roomy”.
He also revealed that he had a whole pizza for dinner every night, thanks to a local shop that gave away their pizzas for free if you could finish them. “They had a deal where, if you could eat their whole pizza, you got it for free,” he shared with Hart. “I used to eat there every night, a whole pizza, so I didn’t have to pay, because I didn’t have the money to pay the guy.”
Finding His Passion in Wrestling
He went through such hard times that he considered returning home to his parents, even though he was fond of Los Angeles. “I’m very grateful for my story because I chose to endure the hard times,” he said of his initial career struggles.
“If I could get to West Newbury, Massachusetts, I would have food. I would have a shelter. I would be able to start over,” Cena said. He also tried to become a California Highway Patrol officer and a cop, but he failed at those paths as well.
Cena decided to stay in LA because he wanted to prove to himself and his family that he was capable of succeeding on his own. He said he enrolled in the Ultimate University’s Ultimate Pro Wrestling School as a last resort, and that’s how he discovered wrestling as a career option. Cena said he ‘decided to stay out’ and he’s happy he did because it paid off in the end.
He said his whole existence is based on a series of fortunate events that lined up with each other. “My whole existence is an accident,” Cena said. “My whole existence is based on a series of fortunate events.”
Cena’s story is an inspiring example of perseverance, resilience, and hard work. He overcame the hardships of living in his car and became the highest-paid WWE wrestler in 2018, with estimated earnings of $10 million.
He also crossed over to Hollywood and starred in blockbuster movies like Fast & Furious 9, The Suicide Squad, and Bumblebee. Cena is truly a role model for many people who dream of achieving their goals.