John Cena Says He’s Taking His Wife on a European Vacatio…

John Cena used the Peacemaker season 2 red carpet in New York City on August 13 to make one thing clear: he’s carving out time with his wife, Shay Shariatzadeh, while his calendar stays packed.

Speaking to PEOPLE, John Cena said, “We need a date night, honestly, like we really do,” adding, “Work has been demanding, and through communication, we understand what the calendar is, and we navigate those paths as we see fit.”

That “navigation” now includes a plan to fold date nights into an overseas shoot. Cena is filming a new Netflix comedy, Little Brother, with Eric André, and continues to make WWE appearances.

Even so, he said he intends to “steal” private moments with Shariatzadeh while they’re in Europe. “We may steal a second in Dublin. I know I got a chance over there,” he said. “We’re [also] headed to [France]. I’ll make sure to get in early so at least we can share a coffee in the street.”

The couple kept a low profile at the premiere but were seen sharing quick kisses, and Cena paused to fix her hair before moving down the line. That brief public moment reflects a relationship he largely keeps out of the spotlight.

On Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Cena explained the boundary he set when they married: “One of the promises I made to her on the altar was, ‘I will never put you or I’ll do my best to not put you in any undue harm’s way.’”

He noted that travel and visibility can complicate things: “If my wife… now feels unsafe or uncomfortable in all these new places we go, [I’ve] got another hurdle to climb in my personal life. It’s just an exercise in the strength of boundaries and the value of boundaries.”

In a recent PEOPLE cover story, Cena summarized that philosophy: “It’s okay to keep some stuff for yourself. There’s bravery in boundaries.”

Cena and Shariatzadeh met at a restaurant in 2019, got married at an attorney’s office in Tampa in October 2020, and celebrated with a larger ceremony in Vancouver in July 2022.