Prime Video’s Jackpot takes place in 2030 with the near-bankrupt California establishing a Grand Lottery. Here’s the catch: you have to kill the winner before sundown to claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot legally. Directed by Paul Feig, with Awkafina starring as Katie, a former child star who inadvertently wins the lottery, and John Cena as Noel, a freelance bodyguard for lottery winners.
Speaking to Fandom, Feig and Awkafina describe working with Cena as surprising and didn’t know what to expect as first-time collaborators. Feig even called the former WWE Champion a “legit genius.”
“You kind of don’t expect that side of him,” Feig said. “He’d be like ‘Oh, I gotta, you know, between takes I’m teaching myself to play jazz piano in my trailers’. Sure, man. He’s such a smart guy. I love him to death.”
When asked about their chemistry, Akwafina agreed. “Yeah. I mean, John is really, really professional. You know he’ll show up to set, and you think that maybe he’s like, very serious, and then you’ll find out he’s super funny.”
The actress went on to add that Cena surprised her with bonding over their favorite books. “We’d have these conversations [where] we talked about our favorite books and books that he’s reading, he reads a ton. And I just, I love getting to know him.”
Cena credits Feig for getting that level of chemistry between Noel and Katie so well, how he structured the humor, and came prepared with alternative jokes in case the initial ones didn’t land how he wanted.
“He runs in so many alternative jokes, there’s a whole blooper reel and make sure your audiences please stay for the credits, because the jokes go in the entire credit sequence. But the fact that he brings so much raw humor, like nothing is off the table with him. So that first sheet of paper he comes in with alternative jokes, the jokes are so raw that like everyone’s guards down from day one, I think it helped out a lot. So Paul’s an amazing human being, but it was really a good directorial stance to take for [Awkafina] and I, for sure.”
Jackpot is available to stream on Prime Video.
Additional reporting by Bailey Myers.
