Cody Rhodes didn’t just land a role in Street Fighter — and now he’s revealing how it actually happened behind the scenes.
Speaking on The Breakfast Club on March 31, 2026, Cody Rhodes detailed how his path to playing Guile started with Roman Reigns already being cast as Akuma, which made him assume there wouldn’t be room for another WWE star in the film.
Rhodes explained that once Reigns was announced, he didn’t think the production would look toward anyone else from wrestling, and he was simply happy for Reigns’ opportunity.
“Can I tell you a crazy story about getting the role? So Roman Reigns had been announced as Akuma, and I was like, ‘Dang, man,’ but I was happy for him. I didn’t think they’d be interested in anyone else from the wrestling space, but I got a call asking if I would come to Legendary and talk to the producer.”
He then revealed that going into the meeting, he had no expectations of being cast at all and believed the best-case scenario would be a minor consulting role based on his familiarity with the game.
“I thought it was just a general meeting. I thought best-case scenario, they’d ask me to consult, because I played this game and I had a buddy who played competitively in Japan. I’m like, maybe I know enough — maybe they’ll have me as a consultant. If not, great meeting, happy to go.”
Rhodes went on to describe the setup of the meeting itself, noting that he walked into a room with producers and a director on Zoom, still thinking the conversation would revolve around the franchise rather than any acting opportunity.
“So I go there, the director’s on Zoom, producers are across from me, and I’m still thinking, okay cool, we’ll talk Street Fighter, 1994. Then they say, ‘Give us a second, the head of the studio wants to come down here.’ Okay, that’s cool, I like meeting people.”
According to Rhodes, everything changed when the head of the studio entered the room and immediately made it clear that they wanted him for a major role, turning what he thought was a casual meeting into a direct offer.
“She comes in with all the aura and swagger you can imagine, and then she hits it: ‘Hey, I know your schedule is what it is, but we’d really like you for the role of Guile. We think you’d be incredible. The dates are gonna be what the dates are. These guys are gonna give you the information. I’m just happy to meet you.’ Then she leaves.”
Rhodes also admitted that in that moment, he was caught off guard but still had to confidently respond when questions about WWE approval came up, even if he didn’t fully know how it would play out.
“I’m like, what? But I’m also kind of lying through my teeth a bit, because the guys are asking me, ‘You think WWE is gonna be okay with that?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah! The champ’s gonna leave for a bit, it’ll be great.’”
He finished by explaining that things ultimately worked out thanks to support from WWE leadership, confirming that both Nick Khan and Triple H signed off on the opportunity: “Thank gosh Nick Khan understood, and then Triple H understood.”
This gives a clearer picture of how quickly things came together behind the scenes. What looked like a standard casting turned out to be an unexpected offer that required Rhodes to make a decision on the spot — while balancing his responsibilities as a top WWE star. With Street Fighter set to release on October 16, 2026, Rhodes’ journey to landing Guile stands out as one of the more surprising stories tied to the film’s production.
Do you think Cody Rhodes landing the role this way makes it more exciting, or should WWE stars have a more structured path into Hollywood projects? Drop your thoughts and let us know.
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