John Felix Anthony Cena (born April 23, 1977) is a retired American professional wrestler and actor who spent his entire WWE career - from 2001 to December 2025 - becoming the promotion's record-setting 17-time world champion. Over more than two decades in the ring he also set a Guinness World Record by granting 650 wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, more than any other individual in the charity's history. Since the mid-2000s he has built a parallel career in Hollywood, with notable roles in the Fast & Furious franchise, The Suicide Squad, and the DC series Peacemaker, and several major film projects lined up for 2026.
Cena's Netflix comedy Little Brother, co-starring Eric André, was released on June 26, 2026, and received mixed reviews from critics.
Apple TV+ set an October 9, 2026 global release date for Matchbox The Movie, an action-adventure film in which Cena plays an undercover CIA agent.
Cena wrestled his final match on December 13, 2025, losing to Gunther via submission at Saturday Night's Main Event XLII in Washington, D.C., officially ending his in-ring career.
Heads of State (Prime Video), in which Cena stars alongside Idris Elba, became the No. 4 most-watched Amazon MGM Studios film of all time on the platform after surpassing 75 million viewers.
At WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, Cena defeated Cody Rhodes to win his record-breaking 17th WWE world championship.
