This week’s episode of Peacemaker revealed some hitherto unexpected dimensions to the eponymous anti-hero — and an unexpected hidden talent of star John Cena. In what’s easily the most quietly moving scene of the show so far, one entirely dialogue-free sequence saw Cena’s Chris Smith take a moment to play Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” on the piano. And, yes, that was really the former WWE champion playing.
If you don’t believe it, here are the receipts. Peacemaker actress Jennifer Holland, who plays Emilia Harcourt, took to Twitter to share a behind-the-scenes video from filming on episode six once it hit HBO Max. The clip sees Holland and a few members of the cast and the crew waiting to start shooting, while Cena busies himself tickling the ivories, as he prepares for his big musical scene.
Writer/director James Gunn replied to Holland’s tweet by revealing that he was also filming at this exact same time too, sharing his own perspective on Cena’s playing.
Gunn’s also explained the touching inspiration behind this scene. During filming on The Suicide Squad, the director was hanging with Cena in a hotel lobby after finding out that his dog was dying, the actor took to a piano and played “the most beautiful rendition” of “Where Is My Mind” by The Pixies. The filmmaker says it “crushed” him yet “soothed” him and so he wanted to “capture some semblance” of that moment on Peacemaker.
The TV series has managed to almost completely rehabilitate Smith from the douchebag assassin he was in TSS into a loveable dysfunctional loser who actually has a heart of gold underneath his bravado. So now we actually care that he’s been forced go on the run after being framed as a serial-killing nutjob by the alien butterflies who’ve infiltrated the planet.
We’ll find out how he gets out of that one as Peacemaker continues Thursdays on HBO Max.