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By Griff Griffin
Contributing Pop Culture Writer
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WWE superstar John Cena says "of course" he was nervous ahead of filming his new show, What Drives You.
Speaking in an interview with Newsweek, Cena revealed the reason for pre-show jitters comes from the intimacy of a format.
It sees the 16-time WWE champion hit the road with celebrity friends for a deeply personal chat covering their career, family, and motivation, as well as cherished memories associated with their ride.
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"I think the nerves came from, I just wanted the people who volunteered to be on the show, I just wanted them to be comfortable the whole time," Cena says. "It's a business where you gotta get out and and make people aware of what you got coming up and I just wanted to create an environment where I thought it would be easy for people to talk about their journey and what's coming up."
Cena, who also plays DC superhero Peacemaker in HBO's hit series of the same name, interviews a different celebrity in each episode. In the first, it's influencer and fellow WWE superstar Logan Paul.
What Guests Are On What Drives You?
The next three see Cena meeting Jelly Roll, Travis Barker and Miz. It's not just Cena who's doing the grilling, however. What Drives You will reportedly offer fans insight into a fresh side of the Cena himself.
"I really wanted to be able to to give the people who were on the show a chance to just talk about whatever they wanted, and I guess part of creating a safe space is also establishing trust, and and a lot of the ways you could do that is with vulnerability, so that's what's sharing. So you'll certainly hear some stuff from me."
There are already several series featuring celebrities in cars, such as Jerry Seinfield's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and James Corden's Carpool Karaoke. What sets What Drives You apart is Cena letting the guest call the shots.
"I travel to the guest's home. So they're in a safe place, or they're in a place they're very familiar with, in a place they're very comfortable. And then we talk about their collection of cars, or a car they want to showcase, and then they take me for a drive, in which they drive and they take me to a place to get important to them. So again, what I wanted to really do is allow the people who are gracious enough with their time to feel comfortable in the space and I feel really comfortable at home."
The show has extra appeal for car fans, with Cena taking you inside his garage and showing off his fleet of vehicles. For everyone else, in-depth car chat is merely the wrapper. At the core of What Drives You is Cena and his heart-to-hearts with guests.
It's the latest of several Roku Originals' with Cena. The star features in comedy series Die Hart 2: Die Harter, and is set to appear in upcoming docuseries WWE Superstars of Tomorrow, which is also executive produced by Cena.
What Drives You streams free on The Roku Channel on January 21, 2025.
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