Who Is John Cena's Wife? Everything to Know About the Romance He's Kept Under Wraps

16.01.2025 23:35

John Cena is happy on his ascendant Hollywood journey—and happily married. The actor and former WWE star, better known for his wild strength, badass wrestling moves, and scene-stealing in movies, has been keeping his romantic life far away from the tabloid headlines, at least for the most part. But curious minds have found some precious details about the woman who's claimed Cena. Here’s everything you need to know about his wife Shay Shariatzadeh.

When Did This Marriage Happen?

Well, it turns out Cena, 47, has been keeping this union under wraps. The Suicide Squad and Fast & Furious star hasn’t exactly been shouting about his relationship, but according to a marriage certificate obtained by People, he married Shariatzadeh on October 12, 2020. Not in a blowout wedding, mind you, but at an attorney's office in Tampa, FL. However, the couple later threw a second wedding celebration in Vancouver, Canada, in July 2022.

How Did John Cena and Shay Shariatzadeh Meet?

Per the internet sleuths out there, Cena has been linked to Shariatzadeh, 34, since March 2019. The couple met in Canada, where the actor was shooting the family comedy movie Playing With Fire at the time. And though they’re tight-lipped about their love life, they've walked the red carpet here and there.

As for their initial rendezvous, Cena shared that he noticed Shariatzadeh at a restaurant in Vancouver. Cena was there to watch the Super Bowl when one of her friends asked him for a photo, he told Howard Stern in February 2024.

"So I got a picture with her, and then she brought by my wife-to-be over, we have our first fan photo, which we hang proudly where we hang our hats. It's awesome," he said. "I asked her for her number and she gave me her number, and I didn't wait like the two days [to reach out]. I left the restaurant and on my walk home I [texted], 'It was so nice to meet you, you're beautiful, I'd like to get to know you more if you have any free time coming up I'll make time for you.' She's like, 'You want to go out this weekend?' I said, 'Sure.' "

Seems like a normal enough meet-cute.

Shay Shariatzadeh and John Cena are seen at Berenjak restaurant on May 19, 2022, in London.

Photo by GC Images via Getty Images

What to Know About Shariatzadeh

Per People, their marriage certificate states that Shariatzadeh lives in Vancouver, but she was born in Iran. And she has a major career to rival Cena’s wrestling wins and blockbuster billing: The Iranian Canadian is an engineer.

Shariatzadeh studied at the University of British Columbia, graduating in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in electrical and electronics engineering. Most recently, she worked as a product manager in Canada at the enterprise software company Sonatype, where she started in December 2019. Prior to that job, she was at Motorola Solutions researching thermal cameras and video intercom systems, according to her LinkedIn profile.

"I have always enjoyed math and physics," she said of what sparked her professional interest in a statement posted by Motorola Solutions subsidiary Avigilon. "My brother studied engineering in school, and I remember one day he came home with a project, and it was an autonomous car—and that was it!"

But her brother wasn’t her only inspiration. She’s talked about the impact of her surgeon mom.

"The strongest and most hard-working woman I know is my mother," Shariatzadeh said, per Avigilon. "The biggest lesson she taught me was to be independent and fight for the things I want in life.

“While she was at the peak of her career, she gave it all up to move her family to Canada to give us a better future,” she added. “She is the reason I fight to be the best version of myself, to be kind and to never give up."

Why Didn’t I Know About Shariatzadeh?

Well, likely because in addition to Cena being hesitant to share his personal life with the public, Shariatzadeh herself has been flying under the radar, at least online: She is not active on social media.

And Cena’s tendency toward privacy seems to come from a heartwarming place.

"He is a romantic," a source told People of Cena, adding that the secret ceremony "wasn't a surprise. He just wanted to do it out of the limelight."

What Are Their Future Plans?

While Cena and Shariatzadeh seem perfectly pleased to be by each other’s side, Cena has been open about one thing they’re not exploring: having kids. The topic of children is a “tough one to talk about,” he recently revealed on the Club Shay Shay podcast.

“The [decision to not have kids] immediately puts you in a category, and we can’t help but judge. [It’s] human nature and we’re all judgmental,” he added. “I’d like to believe that I operate under the construct that everyone’s okay living their life. I can tell you this is not like a knee-jerk reaction. I’ve thought long and hard about this.”