Frank Grillo Says He Had No Idea Who John Cena Was Prior to ‘Peacemaker’
Frank Grillo has opened up about his experience joining the second season of Peacemaker and admitted he wasn’t familiar with John Cena before taking on the role. Speaking in an interview with GQ, Grillo shared how the opportunity came together and what it was like stepping into the world of DC.
Grillo said that James Gunn had already talked to him about a bigger role in the DC world. “He did, but he’s taking over this obscure studio, and it’s part of Warner Bros., and who the f*ck knows? I don’t know where it’s going, how serious they are, and how much power and money Warner Bros is giving them.”
“I know he’s a man of his word, but I didn’t know how quickly it would all come together,” he explained.
After working with Gunn on Creature Commandos, the director told him he wanted him in Peacemaker. Grillo was filming Tulsa King at the same time in Atlanta, which made it possible to line up the schedules. “But I had never seen Peacemaker. I didn’t know who the fu*k John Cena was. I asked my son, ‘Is John Cena a big wrestler?’ He goes, ‘You’re stupid,’” Grillo admitted with a laugh.
Now that he’s gotten to know Cena, Grillo has nothing but respect for him. “He’s one of those bulls that you see out in the meadow where it’s just muscle, on top of muscle, on top of muscle. When he’s standing still, I look at him sometimes and I’m like, wow, that guy’s a fu*ki*g specimen. Like, if aliens came down and Cena was the guy they saw, they’d go back to space and say, ‘Forget it, we’re gonna lose.’”
As promised, here's the full teaser trailer for Peacemaker Season 2. The 11th Street Kids are back for a double dose of peace this August. @streamonmax @johncena @jennlholland @thedanieb @itsnhutle @robertpatrickT2 pic.twitter.com/i0C0qO7cIo
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 9, 2025
Grillo also spoke about being surprised when he found out he’d have to take part in the show’s famous dance number for the opening credits.
“I didn’t think I’d be asked to dance. Like, I don’t dance. I’m a serious actor. And James said, ‘What do you mean? You’re on the show, don’t be stupid, you’re dancing.’” While he felt confident during rehearsals thanks to his boxing background, performing on stage with 35 people was a different challenge. “I think I’m holding my own, and I don’t know why James says I’m the worst dancer. I don’t think I am—I think Tim Meadows is.”
The second season of Peacemaker premiered on HBO Max on August 21, 2025. The series stars John Cena as Peacemaker, with Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, Tim Meadows, and Michael Rooker.
James Gunn returned as showrunner, writing and directing all eight episodes. The season was filmed in Atlanta from June to November and has been met with positive reviews, with many critics saying it’s even stronger than the first.
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