John Cena and Eric André introduce an exclusive first look at their new comedy, Little Brother.
Key points
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The duo first met when Cena made a guest appearance on The Eric André Show, during which he gave the comedian a concussion.
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André describes their new film, also starring Christopher Meloni and Michelle Monaghan, as "kind of like What About Bob? meets Parasite."
John CenaandEric Andréhave a history of hard-hitting comedy.
The last time the duo shared the screen, on a 2020 episode ofThe Eric André Show, the former WWE star tossed the comedian through a bookcase, sending him to the hospital.
"I'm pretty sure I gave him a concussion," Cena tellsEntertainment Weeklywith a laugh (André has since confirmed as much). "We've been in contact for a while."
Now, they're reuniting, this time on the big screen, for the upcoming Netflix comedyLittle Brother, which André describes as "kind of likeWhat About Bob?meetsParasite," with the comedian playing the Bill Murray/Kim family role, and the wrestler playing the Richard Dreyfuss/Park family role.
"My heart's in the right place," André says of his character, Marcus. "But over and over again, my whole life, I've been abandoned and orphaned by families and foster families."
As a child, Marcus had a "very memorable experience" with Cena's Rudd, who, as a teen, volunteered for a Big Brother/Little Brother program. "He took me out for a few weekends; it was very important to me," André says of Marcus.
Twenty years later, Rudd has "completely forgotten all about it." Until one day, he gets a call that his brother is in the hospital. Assuming something's happened to his older biological bro Josh, played by Christopher Meloni, Rudd "rushes to the hospital, opens the curtain, and he and his wife see me. And they're like, 'Who the f--- is this guy?'"
Before long, André adds, "I charm my way into the wife's heart, and then the kids love me, and then everybody loves me, but I'm just driving [Rudd] nuts because I'm nuts."
While he doesn't elaborate on what this nuttiness looks like, fans of André's unique brand of balls-to-the-walls humor can probably guess.
"This movie was written for Eric André," Cena explains. "I was asked to read it and see what I thought, and I was wondering who the little brother was. And when it was Eric André, having been a fan of Eric and seeing his personality shown onThe Eric André Show, with all of the physical comedy, all of the pushing boundaries, so to speak…It was written for Eric, and he just needed a comedic straight face to bounce the absurdity off of. And man, I'm grateful to get that seat."
Indeed, comedy "wizards" Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul wrote the script as a vehicle for André, based on an idea by the "illustrious award-winning producer," David Bernad (The White Lotus). The comedian says Bernad came up with the concept after becoming annoyed by a friend's social media post. This friend, André says, posted a picture of himself with a "little Black kid that he hung out with, like, three weeks back in the day." Feeling that the post was "virtue signaling" and displayed a "white savior" complex, Bernad started riffing on an idea for a comedy that would becomeLittle Brother, with Cena playing a version of this "cringey" friend.
When Mogel and Paul pitched the story to Netflix, André says the streamer "loved it" — but they had one condition before giving the greenlight. "This never happens, but they were like, 'If you can get John Cena to play the big brother, we'll do it in a heartbeat."
It didn't take long to get an answer. "Cena got the script on a Friday, read it on a Saturday, and said yes to it on Monday," André says. "That never ever happens, that streamlined or smooth. I mean, maybe like Dwayne' the Rock' Johnson and Kevin Hart live that life, but I'm begging for scraps in the Paramount parking lot."
As a longtime fan ofThe Eric André Show, a sketch comedy series parodying late-night talk shows, Cena jumped at the opportunity to reteam with André for the film, playing the Steve Martin to his John Candy fromPlanes, Trains and Automobiles.
Rudd, Cena describes, is "out of touch with what matters most, which is family and love." Instead, he's "using work and money to fill a hole that should be filled with love and family."
André sees the role as a step outside the wrestler's comfort zone. "He usually played the ditzy himbo," the comedian says of Cena's previous screen persona. "This let him do something different."
"I think it's a movie that all audiences can relate to," Cena notes. "We try so hard to create our own perfect environment, and in short, this movie is exactly what happens when you get your environment absolutely perfect, and then you encounter a s--- storm."
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As seen in EW's first look images, Michelle Monaghan joins the cast as Deirdre, Cena's wife, who has grown tired of his uptight personality, and quickly forms a bond with Marcus.
"She's a supporter of my character, but she's also an empath, so she resonates with Marcus' story, and I'm completely swimming upstream on it because it's gonna mess up the perfect life that I feel I have control over and I've curated," Cena explains. "She consistently stresses that we should lean into kindness and hear people's stories. And she allows Eric's character to come into her life, and so does the family. And Eric's character has so much good and love to offer, and the only person that really doesn't see it is my character."
Asked about the above image, which shows Marcus and Deirdre getting cozy on a couch, André says, "She's kind of leaning on me because she's slipped up and revealed that the thrill is gone and they've lost their spark a little bit.
"I'm like her gal pal, you know, we're doing our nails together and drinking wine," he adds. "I'm trying to help her brainstorm ways to get the spark back."
One of Marcus' ideas is right up André's comedic alley, so to speak. "God, I don't know what I'm not allowed to spoil, but I talk her into the ancient art of analingus," he reveals with a laugh. "A Hail Mary method of reigniting that beautiful part of the relationship. She spits out her wine in shock, and then is slowly convinced and educated about the ancient art."
In addition to Monaghan, the film features an all-star supporting cast, including Meloni as Josh, Rudd's older brother. Cena teases, "You're gonna see a performance that's very different than what you normally see."
André elaborates, "He's like wildly successful. He has this huge mansion. He's friends with celebrities. He's hooking up with all these hot models. John's character has always lived in his shadow and has always been envious of him."
The cast also includes "comedy assassins" such asSaturday Night Livealum Ego Nwodim as Lenore,Joy Ride's Sherry Cola as Mia, and comedian and actor Caleb Hearon as Olly.
"They were so funny," André says of the ensemble. "When Sherry and Caleb and Ego were really going, even in between takes when we were just hanging out, we'd just be cracking each other up. They're just such dark, comedic minds…and they're all so unique and distinct in their backgrounds and upbringings and where they're coming from."
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Helming the project is Matt Spicer, who directed the underrated indieIngrid Goes West,starring Aubrey Plaza.
"I'm a huge fan of both John and Eric, and I instantly understood what this movie wanted to be," Spicer says. "It was really funny but also genuinely emotional at times and reminded me of so many movies my younger brother and I were obsessed with when we were growing up, likeTommy BoyandWhat About Bob?"
Andreé credits Spicer with giving him room to improvise while staying true to the script. "The hardest part was having to choose how much to put in and what to leave out," Spicer says. "Otherwise the movie would've been three hours long, but I think we found a good balance."
"I really hope I get the chance to work with him again, and that's before we've even shown the movie to anybody," Cena says of the filmmaker. "I like when people attack funny, but never forget stakes and story, because if you forget stakes and story, it's jokes out in the midst."
Or, as André puts it, "We kept saying 'hearts and farts.' You don't get away with the fark jokes without a ton of heart."
Little Brother,also starring Ben Ahlers, Bryce Gheisar, and Pilot Bunch, wafts into theaters on June 26.
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