Pluribus Got the Right Face for the Job

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Spoilers follow for “HDP,” episode six of Pluribus.

Telling someone the world has been taken over by aliens is tough enough. But imagine having to explain that the aliens are… eating people. For a job that awful, you need someone incredibly likable and unassuming – someone who can deliver terrible news with a gentle, reassuring presence. This person needs to be endlessly optimistic, deeply compassionate, and genuinely approachable – basically, a golden retriever in human form. Someone like John Cena.

I’ve been so impressed with how Pluribus chose the actors to play the Others – those figures who really creep Carol out as she tries to make sense of everything. What struck me is that each one has this incredibly warm, genuine smile – big, toothy, and seemingly honest. It’s a brilliant way to highlight the contrast between the Others’ sense of unity and Carol’s growing isolation. Peter Bergman, from The Young and the Restless, was perfect as a typical government representative – all polished and put-together. And Jeff Hiller! His cheerful energy really made his character’s claim that Carol’s books are just as good as Shakespeare feel… believable, in that strange world. Karolina Wydra is fantastic too. She just looks so healthy and vibrant, which reinforces the idea that the Others wouldn’t intentionally harm anyone… at least, not while they’re still alive.

This week’s episode was excellent, and the appearance of John Cena was a particularly clever touch. It reinforces the idea that Carol’s world is connected to our own, while also highlighting how strange and different it has become. This is similar to the show’s use of Albuquerque’s actual mayor in a previous episode, but even more effective because most viewers will recognize John Cena. The fact that it’s the same John Cena across both realities makes the other bizarre elements of Carol’s world – like the Others’ acceptance of Koumba’s over-the-top behavior and their strict boundaries – even more unsettling. The eerily empty Las Vegas Strip adds to the mystery. The Others are still trying to recruit everyone, and somewhere, a version of John Cena possessed by this new force is doing what he does best: cheerfully promoting something. It’s strangely comforting to see some things remain the same, even in such a bizarre situation.

John Cena has increasingly played characters who aren’t traditional heroes, even embracing villainous or unlikeable roles. We’ve seen this in his performances as Peacemaker, Rocksteady in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Jakob Toretto in the Fast & Furious films, as well as his recent shift as a ‘heel’ in WWE. Even his role as the fast-talking Sammy Fak on The Bear was so polarizing that many viewers disliked it. While that role didn’t quite make him a villain, it showed that Cena cameos can fall flat if not used carefully. However, Pluribus offers him a chance to shine by letting him do what he excels at outside of WWE: appear in a small but memorable role, bring his signature positive energy, and then let others take the spotlight.

He’s remarkably good in his role – Koumba specifically asked him to explain what the Others eat, and then suggested he explain it to Carol as well. This detail within the story cleverly hints that Pluribus understands how to best utilize John Cena’s appearance. The public service announcement Cena delivers, explaining the Others’ use of “human-derived protein” to sustain themselves, is essentially a large amount of necessary information, but Cena’s calm and grounded performance prevents it from feeling awkward or forced. He projects authority without being intimidating, and warmth without being sarcastic. He’s so likable that even unsettling lines, like referring to someone of “John Cena size,” feel sincere, and even the disturbing details (HDP is “pretty much what it sounds like”) seem reasonable. He perfectly captures the upbeat, casual tone the PSA needs – it sounds just like a carefully crafted customer-service message, or the Others’ voicemail. Saying “We hope that clears things up” after explaining they eat people is darkly funny, but Cena pulls it off.

Think of John Cena as the upbeat merman Ken in Barbie, enthusiastically greeting Margot Robbie, or as the serious drug dealer Pazuzu in Sisters who playfully recreates the Dirty Dancing lift with Tina Fey, or even as himself on The Simpsons, helping with a delivery after an energy drink. That’s Cena at his best – easygoing, accepting, and unconcerned – and that’s the persona he brings to Pluribus as well. He presents himself as a champion for the Others with a humble awareness, toning down his larger-than-life wrestling personality and emphasizing the charming, people-pleasing attitude he’s shown in other acting roles. It’s similar to how he acts as a spokesperson, something he’s done for years with brands like Hefty, Mountain Dew, and many others – he clearly enjoys being in the public eye. This approach makes it feel like Cena is essentially advertising the Others’ beliefs, even while they’re explaining their disturbing practices – like cannibalism – to Carol. After all, aren’t the Others trying to convince Carol of something – trying to sell themselves?

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2025-12-06 01:00