John Cena has spent years being one of the busiest people in wrestling and Hollywood, but he admits all that work hasn’t exactly been great for his family relationships. Cena revealed that things are currently “strained” with his blood family, and he’s putting the blame on himself.
Speaking to JUCA, Cena was asked who in his life can still make him feel like regular old John instead of John Cena the celebrity. That question got pretty personal, as Cena brought up his four brothers and admitted he’s still trying to figure out how to be a better brother, son and uncle.
“I have four brothers. I come from a big family. Admittedly, the same sort of strife that Sean is searching for, I constantly search for ways to be a better brother, a better son, a better uncle.”
The problem is that Cena doesn’t think he’s been doing a particularly good job of it. He admitted that every year seems to end with him falling short, before revealing that his relationship with his family isn’t where he’d like it to be.
“I say all those things because they sound nice. Every year, I seem to come up short. So, my relationship with my blood-related family is strained, and that’s my choice.”
Cena wasn’t interested in pointing fingers at anyone else either. Instead, he admitted that work has become an easy excuse for him over the years, and he even acknowledged that he might be something of a workaholic.
“I always hide under the guise of work. I might be a little bit of a workaholic, but I’m trying to work through that. So, I will — and continue to try and strive to forge a better relationship with my blood family.”
While things might be complicated with his relatives, Cena isn’t going through life alone. He revealed that he has a very small inner circle of around six to eight people who know the real him, support him and aren’t afraid to tell him when he’s wrong.
“Now, as far as folks I love and a support system that accepts me for me, calls me out, challenges me, gives me advice, gives me mentorship, guidance — we have great times together, we share the same core values — I got, like, I’d probably say six to eight folks in that inner, inner gravity.”
Sitting right at the top of that list is Cena’s wife, Shay Shariatzadeh. He called her the “tip of the pyramid” and said the people in that tight group are constantly pushing each other to grow.
“Well, the bride is the closest. She’s the tip of the pyramid. But I got, like, eight folks that we constantly push each other — push each other to grow.”
Cena didn’t reveal any family drama or explain exactly what caused those relationships to become strained. What he did make clear is that he knows work has played a role, he’s taking responsibility for his side of things, and he’s still trying to fix those relationships rather than pretending everything is fine.
What do you think about John Cena getting this personal about his family relationships and admitting work has gotten in the way? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
