Hollywood actress Keke Palmer found herself in hot water after sharing a Snapchat photo of <a href="https://cynicaltimes.org/category/wrestling-news/wwe/”>WWE star Roman Reigns on the set of a movie, confirming his involvement in a secret project. This occurred shortly after WrestleMania 40, when Reigns vanished from WWE television before making a highly anticipated return at SummerSlam, sparking speculation about his absence. It was later confirmed that Reigns was busy filming a Hollywood movie, which Palmer’s leaked image brought into the spotlight.
The leaked photo showed Reigns during the production of The Pickup, a Prime Video heist film that has since been released on the streaming platform. Palmer recently discussed the incident in an interview with Screen Rant Plus, where she admitted that sharing the picture caused her unexpected trouble.
Oh my gosh, he was so sweet. I used to love wrestling back in the day. I mean, I was like, ‘Do you smell what The Rock is cooking?’ So, it was cool to, like, okay, connect and then I remember I did something with John Cena too. Shout out to wrestling. I know a little something, something. But yeah, Roman Reigns was really sweet, cool guy. It was great to have him in that cameo and I got in so much trouble for that Snapchat. I didn’t know that Roman was really that guy like that. I told you I been out the wrestling game for a minute so, I blew up his spot real big.
—Keke Palmer, Actress
Roman Reigns Preparing for Upcoming Roles
Following the confirmation of his role in The Pickup, Roman Reigns is set to appear as Akuma in the forthcoming Street Fighter movie. His increasing involvement in Hollywood signals a deliberate shift towards an acting career beyond his wrestling persona.
Roman Reigns Reflects on Transitioning to Acting
In a candid interview with Sports Illustrated last year, Reigns spoke about the possibility of pursuing acting full-time, drawing inspiration from fellow WWE alumni who have successfully crossed over, such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista. He emphasized the value of the skills he has honed in WWE and expressed a clear vision for selecting quality projects.
I think there’s a lot of — I’ve said this before, there are a lot of tools and skills that I’ve built and learned along my way in WWE that it would probably be a waste if I didn’t somewhat transition and use these skills. I don’t know if I want to go the full extent of Dwayne [Johnson] or John [Cena], Dave [Bautista] is very busy as well [but] he seems to have a little more balance in the way he conducts his schedule, maybe, but you can tell he wants to be that guy too. I want to make good — if I’m going to make movies, I want to make really good movies. I want to be part of really good stories, I want to work with really good crew — directors and production teams who know what I’m doing. I want to work with other experienced actors.
—Roman Reigns, WWE Star
Impact and Expectations for Roman Reigns’ Hollywood Journey
Roman Reigns’ gradual entry into Hollywood highlights the growing trend of WWE wrestlers expanding their careers into film and television. His commitment to quality storytelling and collaboration with experienced professionals suggests he aims to build a respected position as an actor. Meanwhile, Keke Palmer’s candid admission of the backlash she faced for prematurely revealing his role underscores the careful control surrounding such projects.
As Roman Reigns prepares for broader exposure in the entertainment industry, his fans and the wrestling world will be watching closely. His upcoming portrayal of Akuma in the Street Fighter movie is poised to further cement his dual identity as both a wrestling icon and an emerging Hollywood actor.
