John Cena says he has nothing to prove when it comes to performing his own stunts for F9. The wrestler-turned-actor has amassed quite the filmography over the years, putting in scene-stealing performances in Trainwreck and Blockers. This year will see Cena star in his biggest movies yet: F9 and The Suicide Squad. F9 will be the first to arrive after being delayed from last year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The ninth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise is directed by Justin Lin and is shaping up to be the biggest one yet.

In F9, Cena plays Jakob Toretto, the never before seen brother of Dom (Vin Diesel) and Mia (Jordana Brewster). Consumed with anger over something that happened in their past, Jakob returns to get his revenge on Dom by targeting his beloved racing family. He's aided by Cipher (Charlize Theron), the villain of the previous movie, 2017's The Fate of the Furious. Between Jakob and The Suicide Squad's Peacemaker, Cena's 2021 characters are some pretty nasty guy

While talking to Chris Van Vliet about F9, Cena discussed hi approach to stunt work. Some might expect Cena to insist on doing all his stunts himself, since he's a pro-wrestler. However, Cena admitted he doesn't feel the need to do that, especially if others are advising him not to. He said:

“When they tell me, like, ‘Hey, this might stop production, we’re going to switch you out,’ I won’t be like, ‘No!’ I’m 44, man. I certainly – I’ve never been tough in my life. I don’t have to prove I’m tough. I’m not searching for validation on my masculinity or who I am as a human being, so I really take the advice of those who know more than me. And when they’re like, ‘Yo, you shouldn’t do this,’ [I’m like] ‘OK. Alright. Great.’"

John Cena as Jakob in Fast and Furious 9

The stunts of Fast & Furious, as wild as they are, must be quite grueling. Actors like Cena can do their best to perform the stunts assigned to their characters, but if it isn't safe, it's always better to let the professionals handle it. Not everyone is like Tom Cruise, filled with a determination to do everything themselves. Cena is smart to trust in his own capabilities and listen to those who know best. Besides, there's probably still a lot Cena can do; audience will surely spot him in action in F9 when it arrives later this month.

Cena will continue to show off his acting chops in The Suicide Squad and his HBO Max spin-off Peacemaker. As for his Fast & Furious future, Cena has said he would love to return for another installment. Provided Jakob survives F9, he might very well return for another go. After all, the franchise has a history of bringing back bad guys, and as Dom's brother, Jakob must already have a rich history. Only time will tell what the future holds. For now, Cena has F9 under his belt, and he can rest assured that he did all that he was able to for it.