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SYFY WIRE The Suicide Squad

John Cena's most difficult stunt for 'The Suicide Squad'? Having to eat 40 empanadas in one sitting

By Josh Weiss
John Cena Peacemaker

For John Cena, the most challenging aspect of shooting The Suicide Squad (out this summer) wasn't navigating the giant ensemble cast or practical sets, but eating a delicious South American food staple. Appearing in his full Peacemaker costume for an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon yesterday evening, Cena revealed that his most difficult stunt for the DC team-up movie involved him chowing down on 40 empanadas in one sitting.

"The stunts were incredible and filming was treacherous, but that right there is the face of defeat," the WWE wrestler turned actor said, referencing a set photo that depicts a despondent-looking Peacemaker about to eat yet another empanada. As it turns out, though, it was Cena's bright idea to eat the entire thing. "We had to do this one big take because the horribly beautiful corrupted mind of [writer-director] James Gunn operates in so many intricate pieces. He wanted this big giant take ... I had to do it 40 times and I nearly ate myself sick. You can tell by that picture, I was not having a good day."

Since Cena is currently up in Canada shooting the Peacemaker spinoff TV series with Gunn, he also showed off some of the set for the character's house. "Peacemaker is like the polar opposite of Bruce Wayne," he said. "Where Bruce Wayne is a billionaire with a Batcave, I live in a single-wide. It's a bit of an interesting story and a bit of a new tale."

Lastly, the actor reiterated that his antihero is "like a douchey, bro-y Captain America."

Check out the full interview below:

The Suicide Squad simultaneously arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Friday, Aug. 5. Cena promised that Peacemaker will hit HBO Max "shortly after that."