“I have a certain curiosity about life, and I also know the investment that it takes.”

Shannon Sharpe in casual attire and John Cena in a suit are seated, laughing and talking across a wooden table with drinks in front of a lit fireplace

John Cena explained why he doesn’t want to have kids and how that conversation played out with his wife.

On Aug. 21, the Peacemaker actor opened up on the Club Shay Shay podcast about why he’s choosing to remain childless.

“I don’t want them,” John said. “I have a certain curiosity about life, and I also know the investment that it takes.”

John Cena sits in a brown leather chair wearing a checkered suit and a tie with a concerned expression on his face

“And my biggest fear is, as someone who’s driven — many times stubborn and selfish — I try to approach the world with kindness and curiosity, but I don’t think I’m personally ready, nor will I ever be, to invest the time it needs to be a great parent because I want to live life for all it is.”

“And I still have a lot to do. And I still want to do a lot. I have a wonderful partner I do it with. We’ve had open conversations about this. We share the same values.”

John has been married to Shay Shariatzadeh since 2020, and they had conversations about not having children early in their relationship, a topic that has impacted his past relationships.

John’s previous six-year relationship with fellow WWE star Nikki Bella ended after she opened up about her desire for children and John’s almost reluctant compromise. On the Better Together with Maria Menounos podcast, Nikki said she didn’t want him to “regret” having children with her. “Even in the end when he was willing to give me kids, I could just tell it’s not what we wanted. And that’s really, like, you know, what pushed me in the end, was like, if I’m going to force someone to be a father.”

John Cena, in a plaid suit, and Shay Shariatzadeh, in a crop top and skirt, pose together at a movie premiere

John’s fully aware that being candid about not wanting kids is a “tough subject” and that the mere mention of the topic “immediately puts you in a category” and that people “can’t help but judge.”

“[It’s] human nature. We’re all judgmental. I’d like to believe that I operate under the construct that everyone’s okay living their life,” John said.

John’s decision doesn’t come lightly, and he’s thought about it since he was a teenager. “I can tell you this is not a knee-jerk reaction. I thought long and hard about this,” John said. “My opinions only hit that gray area during emotionally difficult times.”

When Shannon Sharpe asked how this tough conversation with his wife went, John noted that he “learned from every scenario” and “learned from his past.”

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“Whenever one of us is feeling bothered, nothing’s off the table. Of course, nobody’s perfect. We have our disagreements, but we handle them right then and there, and nothing is too uncomfortable to be unapproachable.”

“Starting off with a conversation about ‘hey, where do you see family life and what is the definition of our family, what brings you joy, and is this a bucket you need to fill?’ — those conversations have helped me personally, and her forge a path together as a team.”

If you’re one of the 14 million people following John on X (formerly Twitter), you might know he’s always dropping wisdom. And he finished off the interview just the same. “We can see the way the world is; there’s a lot of different people out there, and I think that’s beautiful because that can lead to love and connection, which is good.”

“If you’re out there and you feel alone, you’re not. It may be hard to find someone who has the same values, but they’re out there. Don’t give up searching because you’re not as alone as you think you are.”