The WWE universe has seen John Cena’s abilities inside the ring. But as he became involved in high-stakes projects like Fast and Furious and Suicide Squad, Dolittle turned out to be a happy hiatus in his acting career.
In the movie, Cena gave voice to Yoshi, a polar bear whose character, as described by John Cena during an interview with Where is the Buzz, was seeking warmth. With this, he got the rare opportunity to work with the legendary Robert Downey Jr., a moment that never occurred again in his career so far.
Dolittle Featured the On-Screen Chemistry Between Robert Downey Jr. And Yoshi
At first, John Cena and his fans around the globe would’ve been skeptical about the role. But giving voice to Yoshi, the Polar Bear, made much more sense as he delved into the nuances of the role.
During an interview with Den of Geek, Cena gave an insight into why doing Yoshi, specifically during that time of his career, became an important point in his acting career. The 17-time World Champion shared:
As I’ve matured and I’ve aged and I have a different perspective on life, this is a wonderful outlet for me to remain creative, to keep my long-term health, to invest in a new character. I’ve been the same character on TV for like 15 years. So it’s a chance to unwind and unwire that typecast, which is interesting. So it does give me a lot of things, but it took the wisdom of living life to get to that point.
This became a reason why Cena agreed to become the voice of Yoshi in the first place. Additionally, Cena resonated with the message of the film. The fact that the script established a close bond between Yoshi and the character of Robert Downey Jr. implied that love doesn’t know a bloodline or a species. This, according to Cena during the same interview, is what attracted him to the movie.
The chemistry between Yoshi and Dr. John Dolittle provided a sense of flow in the project that was intended to give great entertainment to those who watched it. Although the project could not capture the minds of the audience, it did open up the possibility that Cena can carry out courageous projects when given the right opportunity.
A table illustrating the star cast of Dolittle is as follows.
| Actor/ Voice Artist | Role |
| Robert Downey Jr. | Dr. John Dolittle (Lead) |
| Antonio Banderas | King Rassouli |
| Michael Sheen | Dr. Blair Müdfly |
| Harry Collett | Tommy Stubbins (Apprentice) |
| Emma Thompson (voice) | Polynesia (Macaw) |
| Rami Malek (voice) | Chee-Chee (Gorilla) |
| John Cena (voice) | Yoshi (Polar Bear) |
| Kumail Nanjiani (voice) | Plimpton (Ostrich) |
| Octavia Spencer (voice) | Dab-Dab (Duck) |
| Tom Holland (voice) | Jip (Dog) |
| Ralph Fiennes (voice) | Barry (Tiger) |
| Selena Gomez (voice) | Betsy (Giraffe) |
| Marion Cotillard (voice) | Tutu (Fox) |
As per Box Office Mojo, Dolittle earned a gross revenue of $77 million in the US and $174 million internationally. The gross earnings of the project were thus $251 million. The numbers for the movie reveal a stark reality: the star cast doesn’t guarantee success.
Even though John Cena’s work in Dolittle was recorded separately, away from the cast and set of the movie, both Robert Downey Jr. and Cena were appreciative of each other’s work and the value they added to the project.
John Cena Appreciated Robert Downey Jr’s Approach in Dolittle
Despite the fact that John Cena decided to be a part of the Dolittle project because of the script, the cast involved also had a major impact on his acting career. This is evident from the remarks he made about Robert Downey Jr. during an interview with Den of Geek.
When asked about his thoughts on Downey Jr. playing the role of the doctor, Cena did not hide his admiration for the legendary protagonist. Highlighting the work Robert Downey Jr. did, according to him, in Dolittle, Cena shared:
And then of course you add in Robert’s involvement and that makes it a gift. You’re immediately clumped in with someone who is super accomplished and established and gives the title credibility. And then the fact that it’s a period piece that allows you to play around, and the fact that it’s a whimsical period piece allows you to play around even more.
This came after Robert Downey Jr. praised Cena and other voice-over artists in the movie, stating in the production notes of the project that it takes specific skill to do voice-over work. The interviewer, Don Kaye from Den of Geek, felt these remarks from him were attributed to Cena.
The Marvel-famed actor was also the producer of the project and worked with Cena in promoting the film on several occasions.
While both Cena and Downey Jr. are appreciative of each other’s work and the hard work they put in, the fact that Dolittle is the only project they’ve ever worked together in any capacity creates room for further association between them.
The on-screen chemistry was evident, even though Cena was not present, and Cena has already expressed his desire to work with the legendary actor during a separate interview with Collider. Cena stated that Robert Downey Jr. is incredibly talented and was optimistic about working with him if selected.
The question now remains: if allowed to work together, will Cena and Robert Downey Jr. ever share the big screen, not as actor and voice-over artist, but as equals? Both stars have carved unique legacies, Cena with his action-hero charisma and Downey with his iconic wit.
A collaboration between them could be legendary. Audiences would undoubtedly flock to see this powerhouse duo bring their talents to a truly balanced and dynamic project, perhaps in a genre-blending film that challenges and showcases their range equally. The real intrigue lies in whether Hollywood will make such a dream pairing a reality.
Do you think John Cena and Robert Downey Jr. should work together? What are your thoughts on Dolittle? Share with us in the comments below.
Dolittle is currently streaming live on Netflix.
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