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Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
I'm a physical storyteller: John Cena on 'Heads of State' and his love for action-comedy genre
Action comedy is the language of the world and has been popular since the era of Charlie Chaplin, says Hollywood star John Cena , who considers himself a physical storyteller. "Heads of State", his latest movie on Prime Video, offers another glimpse into the niche that Cena has created for himself in the realm of physical comedy, where he often blends his imposing presence with a sense of humour. In the past, the WWE wrestler-turned-actor has showcased his impeccable comic timing in films and shows such as "The Suicide Squad", "Blockers", "Peacemaker", "Trainwreck" and "Ricky Stanicky". "I'm a physical storyteller. WWE is entertainment through physical stories. And what I love the most about action comedy is that it's the language of the world. It explains the success of the greats like Jackie Chan, even Charlie Chaplin -- before there were words in the movies. It is truly the language of the world," Cena told PTI in an interview. "Heads of State", which premiered on streaming service Prime Video on Wednesday, is directed by Ilya Naishuller of "Nobody" fame. The movie reunites Cena with his "The Suicide Squad" co-star Idris Elba and also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas in a pivotal role. In the movie, Cena plays the role of Will Derringer, a former action star who becomes the President of the United States. Elba portrays Sam Clarke, the British Prime Minister. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 'I couldn't hear my grandchildren anymore...' – Find out how she did it. Hearing Magazine Undo Cena said he loved working on "Heads of State" as it allowed him to display the skills he has learned over the years. "Being able to take the skills that I've learned as a physical storyteller and modify my skill set to be on screen, I love 'Heads of State' because even if you don't understand what we're saying, you get the story and the action. Then you share the laughs... that's why I lean into action comedy," he added. The movie also takes forward Cena's chemistry with Elba, which they established in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" (2021). While Cena's Derringer comes across as impulsive and chaotic, Elba's Clarke is more controlled and straightforward in showcasing his authority in the movie. Cena credited the writers, Josh Appelbaum & Andre Nemec and Harrison Query, for establishing their dynamics on paper for "Heads of State". "Writers write good stories, well-thought out stories. I don't commit to projects unless I read it. James Gunn is the only cold-call. If he says we are getting the band back together, it is a yes and I read it afterwards. Every other project I want to read," he said. Priyanka Chopra Shares Fun BTS Moments with John Cena & Idris Elba from 'Heads of State' A good story has layered characters and is "brave enough to lean into the flaws", he added. "Every character has to be flawed because then you want to root for them. If a character is too tough, too perfect, with no shortcomings, you don't want to root for that guy. So I think it's just being brave enough to lean into the words of a good writer," Cena said. According to Cena, one of the joys of working in the world of entertainment is getting to meet new people with every project. In the case of "Heads of State", it was an opportunity to collaborate with Priyanka , an actor who began her journey around the same time as Cena in the early 2000s. In the movie, Priyanka essays the role of MI6 agent Noel Bisset "That's what's brilliant about being in the creative business... you never know who you're going to meet. You never know the experiences you'll have, and I just try to do my best, to be decent to work with, and in the downtimes, share moments that can make us connect more. "And we certainly did that in this movie. And for that, I'm grateful," he said. "Heads of State" also stars Paddy Considine, Stephen Root , Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid and Sarah Niles. The movie is produced by Peter Safran and John Rickard. Cena and Elba also serve as executive producers.
Elle
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Geraldine Viswanathan Brings Bold Energy to the Marvelverse
Justin French Pullover, shorts, Sacai. Boots, Ugg x Sacai. Necklace, bracelets, Bulgari. When she was six, Geraldine Viswanathan auditioned for a spot at a performing arts school in her hometown of Newcastle, Australia. The task? Pretend to walk a dog. 'I rocked it,' she says, smiling at the memory. 'They saw the dog. They felt the dog.' Less than two decades later, the actress faced an entirely different challenge: losing her virginity on prom night. In 2018's Blockers , she stole the show as John Cena's sporty, sex-positive daughter, exuding a cool confidence well beyond her years. Her career took off from there—she exposed Hugh Jackman's fraud in the HBO film Bad Education , tempted fate alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi on TBS's Miracle Workers , and unleashed cross-country chaos with her lesbian bestie (played by Drive-Away Dolls . Most recently, in Prime Video's rom-com You're Cordially Invited , she played Will Ferrell's daughter, a pairing that sparked some palpable comedic chemistry. 'He made me laugh so hard,' she says. 'I've had some really great dads.' Viswanathan thrives on pushing herself into uncharted territory with each new role. She's not just showing up and delivering a deadpan punch line—each performance feels like an invitation to watch someone redefine what we think they're capable of. Justin French Blazer, shirt, Bottega Veneta. Earrings, Cartier. Her chameleon talents will be on display soon in 'Oh, Hi!' , a rom-com-gone-wrong directed by Sophie Brooks and co-written with recently rebranded as *The New Avengers in a unique marketing move—where she'll take on the role of Mel, the assistant to Julia Louis-Dreyfus's domineering CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. She thinks the role was meant to be: 'When I was 18, I came to L.A. with my family, and my mom saw a psychic who said I'd be in a superhero movie,' she says. 'I need to get that psychic's number!' Filming the movie was unlike anything she had ever encountered before: 'There was no green screen, and it was the craziest set that I've ever been on, just the sheer number of extras.' And contrary to what some fans might expect from a big-budget franchise, there was no special initiation: 'The most Marvel-y thing I had to do was meet with the security team and get a little badge.' 'Feeling undervalued inspired me to act because I love to do it—not because anybody is asking me to do it.' With precious few women of color taking on leading roles in Hollywood, the space can be frustratingly limited. Viswanathan—born to an Indian father, who's a nuclear medicine specialist, and a Swiss artist mother—is keenly aware of this, having felt her ethnicity was a barrier to getting cast in Australia. 'It was an experience that has defined who I am, especially growing up as the only person of color in a small, white town,' she says. 'Feeling undervalued inspired me to act because I love to do it—not because anybody is asking me to do it. When you approach life that way, it becomes more magnetic.' She's also managed to reach It girl status, recently attending her third Paris Fashion Week, where she sat front row beside fellow Aussie Rose Byrne at the Zimmermann show. 'She's had some of my favorite roles,' Viswanathan gushes. '[Byrne] is so brilliant, cool, kind, and funny—she was killing me.' Justin French Pullover, shorts, Sacai. Boots, Ugg x Sacai. Necklace, bracelets, Bulgari. When it comes to her own viewing habits, Viswanathan gravitates toward ensemble comedies like The Hangover . As for Harry Potter, which stars her Miracle Worker s castmate Radcliffe, she admits, 'I was, like, seven when I went to see the first movie and had to leave the theater because I was was a scene where a troll put a wand up his nose. It was too much for me.' So does that rule out the fantasy genre in the future? If Viswanathan has taught us anything, it's that the unexpected is her baseline—but she's always grounded in an unapologetic authenticity. 'I could see myself going there…it's not my first instinct, because I always try to do things I'd actually want to watch,' she says, before adding wryly: 'And I'm still a little bitch.' Hair by Sami Knight for Rehab; makeup by Alexandra French at Forward Artists; manicure by Jolene Brodeur at The Wall Group; produced by Anthony Federici at Petty Cash Production; photographed at Malibu Creek Ranch. A version of this story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of ELLE. Related Stories
ABC News
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Geraldine Viswanathan isn't a superhero but she's integral to Thunderbolts*
Geraldine Viswanathan has had a Hollywood ascension most Australian actors can only dream of. Back in the mid-2010s, she was doing what a lot of local creatives have to do early in their careers: collecting the eclectic roles on offer in Australia in hopes that the next one will lead to The Big One. There was a bit part in Loading YouTube content Viswanathan was two weeks into training to be a triple j presenter when she got her call-up for The Big One – a starring role in major studio comedy Blockers, alongside John Cena and Leslie Mann. "It was so wild. I mean, I was stoked to work at triple j and get trained to host," she tells ABC Entertainment. "I remember emailing [former triple j content director Ollie Wards] and being like, 'I think I have to go do this film with John Cena. I don't know when I'll be back but love you!'" Since then, the 29-year-old actor has been quickly climbing the Hollywood ladder. She's starred in everything from Now she's levelling up yet again for a starring turn in Thunderbolts*, the film that might just revive Marvel's muddy modern reputation. Thunderbolts are go It's been a rocky few years for the multi-billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Phase five (that's everything after the Black Panther sequel) of the studio's never-ending plan for world domination delivered critical clunkers but, more worrying for Marvel, it produced films that lost money. Thunderbolts* is the last film of phase five, or rather a bridging film as fans brace for a fourth reboot of the Fantastic Four (this one has Pedro Pascal!) that will kick off phase six. It's a volatile moment in the Marvel timeline: they need a hit and they are banking on a film where the highest-profile character is Captain America's ex-best friend. There were vibes of quiet desperation in the months before the film's release, including a divisive teaser that touted all the talent Marvel had poached from art-house studio A24. Loading YouTube content But Marvel's prayerful roll of the dice has turned out in their favour. Thunderbolts* is being praised as the Geraldine Viswanathan and Florence Pugh at the world premiere of Thunderbolts* in Hollywood. ( Supplied: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages ) It's a surreal time for Viswanathan to jump on the Marvel train, she says. "This movie just feels like such a breath of fresh air. It has that old-school Marvel sensibility but with a kind of nuanced, complex, sort of A24 twist," she says. "To enter the Marvel universe at all is such a dream but then to enter this way, in this company, with this team and these people, it's unbelievable. I feel really proud to represent Aussies in the Marvel Universe. Let's go!" It wasn't a straight shot into Marvel for Viswanathan, who stepped into the human character of Mel after her friend and "When I got the call, I was really sick in bed and my agent was like, 'Jake [Schreier, Thunderbolts* director] wants to call you'. And I was like, 'Why?'" she says. "We got on a Zoom and I was in a sea of tissues. He pitched the movie and Mel to me because you can't read the script before you sign on. "Then, at the end of the call, he asked me if I wanted to do it and I was like, 'Are you asking me to join the Marvel Universe?! Yes, of course!'" Rise of the underling Thunderbolts* is the adhoc name for the ragtag group of c-list superheroes that find themselves unintentionally smooshed together by CIA head Valentina Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, doing Selina Meyer as a supervillain) who is in the middle of an impeachment. "I really identified with Mel and the kind of moral decision that she has to make," Viswanathan says. ( Supplied: Chuck Zlotnick ) Mel comes into the scene as Val's dedicated assistant with an iPad permanently strapped to her hand, always ready to fulfil her bosses every whim — whether it be a good cup of coffee or the termination of "evidence" (real life humans). "[Louis-Dreyfus] is so dedicated to making it as good as possible. She's very precise. She's very thoughtful with language," Viswanathan says. "She's Julia Louis-Dreyfus! She could just show up and cruise but she puts her all into it." As Val's ambitions get more megalomaniacal, Mel begins to question if she's on the moral side of the fight. "It was really exciting to see Mel's arc. It's relatable, especially for young people who are ambitious and smart and want to be a force of good in the world," Viswanathan says. "It's cool that a movie like this would talk about power so explicitly between two women, and that [Mel] kind of ends up as the secret weapon within the Thunderbolts." 'It's all going to be fine' Viswanathan says she'll never forget the day she first stepped out onto a Marvel set. Photo shows Five people dressed as superheroes walk along a city street towards the camera, while looking up. Director Jake Schreier bring his indie film chops to the MCU and delivers a fresh take on the superhero genre that's able to be a crowd-pleaser and explore darker themes in equal measure. "It was this massive scene with hundreds of extras and a helicopter and huge trucks. It was all choreographed before we got there and I had this horrifying thought: 'If I mess this up, all of this has to reset,'" she says. "There's so many moving parts. It felt more like theatre, it was really different to things I've done before, but a really exciting new challenge." So, on the precipice of her biggest project yet, what would Viswanathan say to her younger self, slogging it out on small sets and five-minute stand-up spots? "Keep going, don't stress, it's all going to be fine, it's all going to unfold," she says. "I feel like I was really into unflattering, extremely high-waisted pants at the time so also, maybe invest in some better pants." Thunderbolts* is in cinemas now. Loading YouTube content
Buzz Feed
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
"Thunderbolts*" Geraldine Viswanathan Confesses Messing Up On Set Was "Scary"
Australian actress, Geraldine Viswanathan, has quietly crept onto Hollywood's radar, in recent faves Miracle Workers (2019), Blockers (2018) and You're Cordially Invited (2025). Now, she's stepping up to the MCU plate as a pivotal character in Jake Schreier's superhero smash, Thunderbolts *. Questions are already being asked of her future involvement in the Cinematic Universe and if she'll be returning as bright-haired hero, Songbird. Geraldine's answer is Marvel media training at its finest — which could really mean anything. Ahead of the cinematic release of Thunderbolts*, we sat down with Newcastle-raised Geraldine Viswanathan to confirm (or deny) her future MCU role, chat about the biggest menace on set and her career "WOAH" moment. Here's everything she told us: BFOZ: Growing up in Australia and pursuing acting over here, when it feels so far away from the big lights of Hollywood, what's the moment that made you realise, "Holy shit, I've made it"? Geraldine: I mean, [ Thunderbolts* ]' is kind of crazy and I'm looking at the poster here and I see my name at the bottom and I'm like, "Wow". I feel like it hasn't dawned on me the massiveness of joining the Marvel universe until I've started doing press. But I think also doing Blockers and having our premiere, was such a pinch me full circle moment because I think it was a couple — five years prior to that, I had gone to that same theatre for the Bridesmaids premiere, just as a fan waiting at the barricades to get autographs. And so to be on the other side and have a movie that's premiering at the same theatre felt like a very cool moment. BFOZ: If Marvel dreamed up a new South Asian-Australian superhero, what backstory and powers would they have? Would grow up in Newcastle just like you did? Geraldine: Woah. What a question. You know what? I've thought about this before. I think I was like, wouldn't it be interesting if there was a mixed race superhero who can live in this liminal space between worlds or something like that? Maybe she could shapeshift or time jump or something. But I definitely, would love to see more superheroes from Newcastle. Samir Hussein / Samir Hussein/WireImage BFOZ: Speaking of new heroes, will we be seeing Mel step into her own hero role in the future? Geraldine: I really can't say, or else I'll be sniped, but all I can say is that... Hey! I would love to. I'm available, and this experience has been such a dream and I would love to do it again, if I could. Just for your visual reference, here's Geraldine's reaction to the question: Anyways... BFOZ: Back to Thunderbolts*, the ensemble is full of absolute characters. Which cast member was the biggest menace on set? Geraldine: Biggest menace? I feel like everyone was pretty well-behaved because it was so scary when you mess up and they have to reset. But I think David Harbour is a big crack and I think was cracking up the team. So, he might win the award for biggest menace. BFOZ: And finally, in today's world, if you could pick one of these Marvel villains — Thanos, Valentina de Fontaine, Loki, The Green Goblin or Killmonger — to rule, who would it be and why? Geraldine: Oh my god, these are terrible options. No, I don't want any of them to rule to the world, but maybe if I had to choose, I guess Val. I'm staying loyal to my boss. I think she's not all bad. There's some nuance, there's some gray area there, and I love to see a woman in charge, so I'll go with Val. BFOZ: How do you think she would change the world? Marvel Studios / Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Thunderbolts' Indian connection: Meet the Australian actor with desi roots who's making her MCU debut
The first reviews for Marvels' Thunderbolts* are out, and after receiving an impressive 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, fans of the superhero franchise are looking forward to returning to old ways. Leading the film's cast are Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, and more. But one name among the cast, Mel, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's (portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) assistant in film, played by Australian actor Geraldine Viswanathan. Most of us already know her for her roles in Blockers and Bad Education. All about Geraldine Viswanathan? Geraldine Viswanathan and her younger sibling, Indira Viswanathan, grew up in an Indian-Swiss household. The 29-year-old was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Her father, Suresh Viswanathan, an Indian with Tamil roots, works as a doctor in the nuclear medicine field. While her mother, Anja Raith, is from Switzerland and is a daughter of a filmmaker and professional ballet dancer. Geraldine was just 4 when she appeared in a commercial. When Geraldine turned 15, the family briefly moved to California, where she took her first steps in the industry, securing a manager with hopes of landing Disney or Nickelodeon roles. After appearing in a few commercials and receiving the Heath Ledger Scholarship for comedy and stand-up sketches, Geraldine made her onscreen debut in the 2016 musical comedy Emo the Musical. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO Since then, her acting career has seen steady growth. She became a familiar face thanks to her role as Bonnie in ABC's drama series Janet King. Additionally, she served as the reader for the Australian casting process for Crazy Rich Asians. It wasn't until 2018 that Geraldine had her big break in Blockers, which earned her the label of the film's breakout star. That year proved to be lucky for her as she landed her first Netflix role in The Package and the drama film Hala. After gracing a few magazine covers as a rising star, Geraldine wowed everyone with her acting in the anthology series Miracle Workers and the true-event-based film Bad Education. Her performance in Bad Education earned critical acclaim at the Toronto Film Festival. Geraldine Viswanathan on her MCU role In a recent interview with both Louis-Dreyfus and Geraldine opened up about their boss-assistant relationship. Geraldine was asked about how she landed the role, which came out of the blue when she was sick in bed. She shared, 'I was really sick, and they were like, 'Jake wants to talk to you.' We got on Zoom, and he was being very elusive and vague, trying to explain the script to me.' She explained how they weren't allowed to read the script before signing on for the role. When asked directly if she wanted to join, Geraldine recalled the director asking, 'So, do you want to do it?' Before she knew it, she was calling her parents to tell them she might have just joined the Marvel universe. Speaking about her character in the film, she added, ' I love the way Val cuts Mel off if she tries to insert herself, tell a joke, or hand her coffee in the wrong moment. Those little details were really fun to play with. Or when you say my name wrong.' To which Dreyfus added, 'That was born out of an improvisation, I think, if I remember correctly!'
