John Cena Reveals He Protected His Gay Brother From Bullies Growing Up

John Cena is sharing a personal story from his childhood that shaped how he sees bullying and family loyalty.

During an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the actor and former WWE star talked about growing up with four brothers in a small town in Massachusetts. One of them, his older brother Steve, had a very hard time in school. Cena explained that Steve stood out early on and was often targeted by other kids.

Life was tough for my brother in high school, Cena said on the podcast. Not only was he an introvert and interested in computers, he’s also gay. And being gay in the 80s in a small town in Massachusetts, man, that’s an uphill climb.

Cena said his brother was not out at the time, but still faced a lot of cruelty because he did not fit in. He just had a lot of character traits that weren’t in the cool kid group, and he’s also holding this secret that he can’t tell or talk to anybody about, Cena explained. He added that looking back now, he feels deeply for what his brother went through.

Even though Cena was younger, he said he felt the need to protect his brother. He remembered that instinct kicking in when he was very young. That sort of behavior started at like 10 years old for me, he said. I don’t think I understood what was going on. Kids are harsh and they form cliques real fast.

The Cena brothers grew up fairly isolated, living far from other kids and mostly spending time together. According to Cena, that made their bond stronger. When he eventually started mixing with other kids at school, he said he took on the role of stepping in when things got ugly. If you say something to the younger brothers, I will do my best to throw myself in harm’s way, he recalled.

Cena also admitted he was bullied himself. He said kids made fun of his clothes, his music taste, and even his family. Things reached a breaking point when he was around 12, which is when he decided to start lifting weights. I was getting my ass kicked, he said bluntly.

By the time he was 15, the physical changes were clear. Cena described a moment at school when he ran into one of the older students who used to target him. Instead of fighting, he chose to calm the situation down. Hey man, we’re good, don’t worry about it, he remembered saying. After that, the bullying stopped.

Cena said he does not carry anger from that time and does not see himself as hardened by it. He also said he regrets how normal bullying felt back then, even when he stood up to it.

The actor has spoken before about his support for the LGBTQ community and often points to his brother as the reason. In past interviews, he has said his family fully accepted Steve and understood how hard it was for him to come out. Cena has also publicly supported other athletes and wrestlers who came out, making it clear that their sexuality should never define their place in sports or entertainment.

His comments on Armchair Expert give a deeper look at where that support began, rooted in family, growing up, and learning early when to stand up for someone you love.

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