John Cena considers his life one big happy «accident» stemming from failure after failure.
The WWE star-turned-actor spoke candidly to Kevin Hart about his struggles and letdowns after moving from Massachusetts to Los Angeles early in his career.
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«My whole existence is an accident,» he told the comedian on his «Hart to Heart» show. «My whole existence is based on a series of fortunate events that kind of lined up with each other.»
While many people move to Los Angeles to pursue careers in the entertainment business, the «Peacemaker» star moved to Southern California hoping to put to use his degree in exercise physiology and kinesiology.
«[I] came out here to apply my degree and really failed. … I couldn’t get any validation for that piece of paper that I paid for — that four-year certificate from Springfield College saying, ‘We think you know what you’re talking about,'» John said.
«Every avenue of fitness I failed,» he continued, adding that he was met with a lot of «closed doors.»
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At one point, the «Fast X» star thought about becoming a police officer — but he failed the highway patrol exam.
Things were so dire that John was homeless and lived in the back of his 1991 Lincoln Continental for a few months. He then lived in a garage for six months. He survived by winning a nightly food challenge at a pizza restaurant in Hermosa Beach, California.
«They had a deal where, if you could eat their whole pizza, you got it for free,» he said. «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.»
John went on to clarify that it was his «choice» to live in such an «uncomfortable» situation.
«Often you hear stories of hard times. I’m very fortunate for my story because it was my choice to have hard times,» he said. «My father always said, ‘You’re my son. I love you. You’re always welcome back home.’ If I could get to West Newbury, Massachusetts, I would be fed. I would have a roof over my head. I would be able to regroup. I chose to stay out.»
