The West Newbury wrestler becomes a movie star today with the release of his first feature film, "The Marine."

"It was kind of a surprise that it came about," said Cena, whose father is a Methuen town official. "Me being a loyal soldier of the WWE, I was excited about the possibility of a brand extension. It's a way for us to crack the stereotype of professional wrestlers just being wrestlers. There is a lot of talent in this locker room."

His only experience with acting before this: a high school play he did at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham.

"I did have a lot of fun with it, but it really didn't fit me," Cena said.

Despite that, Cena said those who know him best have been nothing but supportive, especially his father, John Cena, a Methuen assessor, and other family members.

"They have seen what we do on the WWE; they know everything is possible; they are the force that keeps me humble. They are the force that keeps me down to Earth."

It's one reason Cena still calls West Newbury home.

"I can get to anywhere from West Newbury," Cena said. "I know everybody there, I have grown up with everybody there. They know me as a person - they don't know me from television. I have been around the world a bunch of times and everyone you meet knows you from television. I can go back (to West Newbury) and see my friends. It is a thrill to be able to be a normal person and relax with the people I care about the most."

Cena, the reigning WWE champ, carried a full wrestling slate while promoting the film, which was shot in Australia although it is set in South Carolina.

"That is the magic of movies, and believe it or not, you can never tell," Cena said.

In the film, Cena plays the titular Marine, whose wife (played by Kelly Carlson) is embroiled in a kidnapping plot.

Cena must foil the villain ("Terminator 2" evil robot Robert Patrick) to save the woman he loves.

These days, Cena could use a little saving himself from his crazy schedule. He's been everywhere this week, from "Conan O'Brien" to "Monday Night Raw."

"The movie business is very busy," said Cena. "Everything is going great, but it is a grind. This weekend will be the payoff."

"The Marine" premiered at Camp Pendelton in San Diego last week, with two screenings for 3,000 Marines and WWE stars.

"It was a great premiere, and it was the right decision to premiere it there," Cena said, adding his family hasn't seen the film yet. "Hopefully the old man and the brothers will get to see it at the movies."

Cena shot "The Marine" in three and a half months, taking occasional breaks for his WWE duties. The strength of the movie's ensemble made it easy to shoot, he said.

"This is a real story-driven action movie," Cena said. "It is not showcasing one person as a star - this was a cast full of fantastic actors. It's not one person necessarily dominating the screen. It's a medley of actors trying to put together a good movie."

To prepare for filming, Cena drew on his experience meeting with Marines at bases in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of his WWE schedule.

"I have been on the frontline of conflict with soldiers," said Cena. "I just took all those instances and rolled them together into a prototype of what I thought a Marine should be."

More movies could be on the horizon for Cena. While nothing has been decided yet, he said there's a lot of stuff in the works.

"You can never talk about your chickens before they are hatched," he said. "(But) I don't want the fans to think I am going to leave the WWE to go to Hollywood. I want people to know you can do both careers."

Cena snapshot:

Full name: Jonathon Felix Anthony Cena

Birthday: April 23, 1977

Lives in: West Newbury

Family: Second oldest of five brothers, father John is a Methuen assessor.

School: Cushing Academy, Ashburnham; Springfield College, Springfield.

Title: Reigning WWE champion

Trademark move: The Five Knuckle Shuffle (Fist Drop)

First movie: "The Marine"

First album: "You Can't See Me" (hip-hop, released May 2005)