10 Actors Who Went Through Hell (For Films No-One Saw)

9. John Cena Was Forced To Face His Fear - Twelve Rounds

John Cena 12 Rounds
WWE Studios

When John Cena became a wrestling superstar, it wasn't long before he made the transition to Hollywood. Because of his bulk and cocky attitude, it's no surprise he regularly portrays brawny tough-guys.

What is a surprise is that Cena is a complete wimp when it comes to heights. This became a serious problem when he was filming Twelve Rounds, since Cena had to dangle from a rope in mid-air during one pivotal scene. The shot was set up in a way so Cena couldn't hide behind a stunt double. When you see him screaming while hanging onto the rope, no acting was required; he was genuinely scared out of his wits.

Cena admitted that preparing for this shot left him so anxious, he genuinely considered quitting the entire movie. It's ironic he was so worried about getting hurt considering he makes a living...y'know.... getting hurt. Throughout his time in WWE, he's torn muscles, been smashed through tables, and herniated a disc and yet, found this movie stunt scarier than anything he ever experienced.

Cena may have conquered his fears but Twelves Rounds failed to conquer the box-office, only earning a measly $17 million.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows