There are three individuals who occupy such a unique space in pop culture. From movies to tv shows and cartoons and video games, their lasting impressions are indeed impactful. They each came from the WWE as icons in their own right and tried to broaden their horizons and prove that they were more than just big men who playfight in front of an audience. They are actors and activists and businessmen in some cases. Right now I’ll be comparing the acting careers of Dave Bautista, John Cena, and Dwayne Johnson.
There can only be one best, right?
Perhaps the most pervasive personality of the bunch is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, most well-known for the 2010 masterpiece “Toothfairy”. The majority of Dwayne Johnson’s performances have been action-focused in some capacity, because why not. However there are several standout entries in his filmography beyond his expansive action repertoire of the Fast and Furious franchise that are worth noting. Moana, Jumanji: Welcome to The Jungle, and Central Intelligence. Opinions on the movies themselves vary in some cases, but Johnson really gets to shine here in a variety of different ways. He sings quite well, he can be very funny on screen with great comedic acting chops, but also he is able to capture heart and soul in his performances. He is never going to bring tears to anyone’s eyes, but he truly can hit some of those more emotional beats that you don’t see from him too often, which is a shame. Despite this praise, I have never been wowed by Dwayne Johnson. I am eager to see him in The Smashing Machine and hopefully it is as great as the critics say.
John Cena is really interesting to me because my first experience with him was as Fred’s dad in the Fred movies way back when. That was basically a fever dream. John Cena is seemingly the inverse of Dwayne Johnson. Whereas Johnson is an action movie actor who occasionally sidesteps for comedic works, Cena is frequently working in a comedic capacity, often showing up for brief character work. This is not to say he is a bad actor, quite the opposite. He is an excellent actor who is unafraid to take on unique supporting roles or even comedic bit parts that show up for all of two minutes. An example of this would be on Hulu’s The Bear in which he shows up as the brother of one of the supporting characters, or in the Barbie movie where he appears twice as Mermaid Ken. I think this speaks to an entirely different work ethic between the two actors in that Cena is eager to act for the sake of acting, whereas The Rock will act but isn’t necessarily looking for every role he can get. In recent years, Cena’s eagerness to act has rewarded him in my opinion. Not only has he received some great roles, he has delivered some powerful performances, particularly in the ongoing HBO show Peacemaker. Cena plays the eponymous character who saw his film debut in the preceding movie The Suicide Squad (2021). In that film, Cena was largely an action figure that had some emotional moments, but was often the butt of the joke. In Peacemaker, the dynamics have completely changed. He is our straightman, the guy who grounds the audience. He is the familiar face we look to in that zany world, and John Cena handles this character with such nuance and tact that you can’t help but be endeared to him. The show is an action comedy for the most part, and Cena’s comedic skills are excellent here as they were in other projects. What is different about this show is that Cena has several gut wrenching scenes in which he conveys absolute heartbroken rock-bottomness. His capacity for emotional expression on screen is astounding and the pain and emptiness Peacemaker feels is palpable in those moments, which I credit entirely to John Cena. If you haven’t seen Peacemaker, it’s worth checking out at the very least.
Last but not least, Dave Bautista. This man was an enigma to me for the longest time. I was not a wrestling fan at all, so my exposure to these guys was always through films they appeared in. Buatista had been in several films, but his breakout role was as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. He played the hell out of an all-too-literal wall of muscle. Instantly, Bautista became a household name to the rest of the non WWE world. His next big role was as a secondary James Bond antagonist in 2015’s Spectre. It wasn’t the most fabulous role imaginable, but to be in a Bond movie in any capacity is something to be commended. His best works so far are his collaborations with Denis Villenueve. Bautista had a very small part at the beginning of Blade Runner 2049 that was unlike anything he had done prior. He played a mild mannered individual who lived a life of self exile. This was our first taste of Bautista’s excellent acting talent. Subtle details in his performance like the slight tremble of his hands as he removes his eyeglasses and expresses his need for individuality. Bautista wouldn’t fully come into his own until Dune and Dune: Part Two. Here he plays a brute of a man in typical wrestler fashion, however he is as meager and pathetic as he is large. He is a frightened coward who is frequently demeaned by his family and superiors. Bautista nails this cowardly persona. I eagerly await more Dave Bautista. He described himself as “a learning on the job actor” so I can only hope he continues to improve his craft in the future.
I am of the opinion that John Cena is truly the best actor of the three right now. He is experienced in a variety of roles both dramatic and comedic and rarely disappoints. Dave Bautista shows promise. He has delivered really strong performances, but has yet to truly astound me like John Cena has with his emotional breadth. I believe, though, that right now, Bautista is a better actor than Dwayne Johnson, because already he has demonstrated an understanding and ability to tackle a variety of different roles from fantastical space warriors to down-to-earth hermits. He also is able to express an emotional nuance in his performances that is seemingly always missing from Dwayne Johnson performances. Even though Dave Bautista and Dwayne Johnson are making great progress in Hollywood, John Cena has certainly met and exceeded my expectations time and time again.
