Why John Cena Was Naked At Oscars 2024 - A Streaker Callback Explained

The Academy Awards are generally known for glitz, glamour, and amazing outfits. However, actor and WWE star John Cena turned the tables at the 2024 ceremony by showing up naked on stage. After host Jimmy Kimmel made a brief reference to a past incident where a streaker briefly interrupted the Oscars while David Niven was on stage, he transitioned into an extended bit about an attempt to replicate the event with Cena — which the wrestler-turned-actor, who was partially hidden by the set, had more than a few qualms about. The skit proceeded with Cena actually taking the stage dressed only in a strategically placed award envelope, and eventually acquiring a makeshift fancy dress to present — appropriately enough — the Oscar for best costume design. 

John Cena walking onto the #Oscars stage naked.

See the full winners list: https://t.co/IctYZ9WO3B pic.twitter.com/cRE3tLPe1Y

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 11, 2024

The sketch showcased more than the physique of the star on James Gunn's "Peacemaker" – it also showed Cena's willingness to throw himself into any and all situations. Of course, it also referenced a very real incident from the award ceremony's past. In 1974, a man called Robert Opel did manage to streak across the stage, with the eternally cool Niven stating, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was almost bound to happen."

Robert Opel wasn't just running around naked at the Academy Awards for a dare, and he got off with even less than a slap on the wrist — the stunt was a performance art piece that actually got him a press conference. "People shouldn't be ashamed of being nude in public," he explained himself (via SF Weekly). "Besides — it's a hell of a way to launch a career."

Opel's high-profile streak was hardly his only stunt. Fond of shaking up the establishment, he streaked and created outlandish characters to call attention to various causes. In 1978, he even opened a pioneering gallery that specialized in homoerotic art.

Unfortunately, Opel's story ended in tragedy. In 1979, two armed men attempted to rob his gallery, and when Opel informed them that he had no money on the premises, he was shot and killed.

Tragic as the original Academy Awards streaker's story may be, the 2024 ceremony didn't delve too deep into it and merely commemorated the incident itself. In this homage duty, John Cena performed admirably, sneaking in lines about the appropriateness of the skit here and poking fun at his pro wrestling jorts attire there. His dedication hasn't gone unnoticed by the fans. "No matter what anyone says, john cena COMMITS," user @stunninggun wrote on X, previously known as Twitter. "JOHN CENA IS WILDING MAN LMAOOOOOO," @FadeAwayMedia bust out the all caps. "John Cena is really that guy. He's down to do anything for entertainment," @joe_malts tweeted. 

Numerous fans also took the opportunity to poke fun at Cena's "You Can't See Me" wrestling catchphrase, which has turned into a meme about Cena's personal invisibility — and which the skit stealthily references in an "Emperor's new clothes" kind of way. "John cena still thinks we can't see him," @NoSleepQuan wrote. "People told me that @JohnCena was at the #Oscars2024 ... but I just can't see him," @pogojoe2011 opted for a classic version of the meme. Meanwhile, @RMFilms4 took things even further. "Wait so if everyone saw #Johncena naked does that mean he broke the 'you can't see me' curse? The Guy is a Legend omg." 

As the various fan reactions indicate, if there's one person you absolutely have to get on stage to perform a streaker sketch, you could do a lot worse than a former WWE star. And as Cena's "Barbie" cameo proved, the actor is always committed to the bit. For longtime fans of the Doctor of Thuganomics, be sure to check out John Cena's transformation from childhood to "Peacemaker."