John Cena appeared on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday’s  96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel.

The WWE star-action film staple, 46, was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker named Robert Opel running onto the stage at the ceremony, interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven.

Kimmel, whose jokes about Robert Downey Jr. earlier in the evening landed flat, sought to summon the squared circle star onto the stage with the line, ‘Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?’

‘I said, can you imagine if – a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?

Cena backstage then said: ‘Psst! Psst, Jimmy! Come here.’

John Cena, 46, appeared on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel, 56

Kimmel said: ‘I can’t come there – do the thing! Excuse me for a second. What’s going on? You’re supposed to run across the stage’ as Cena said: ‘Yeah, I – changed my mind. I don’t want to do the streaker bit.’

‘I just don’t feel right about it. It’s an elegant event, you know, you should feel shame right now for suggesting such a tasteless …’

Kimmel said: ‘You wrestle n-a-ked, why not?’ as Cena said of his trademark ring attire: ‘I don’t wrestle n-a-ked, I wrestle in jorts!’

Cena walked sideways onto the stage with the envelope for Best Costume Design covering his genitals. He said, ‘Costumes – they are so important – maybe the most important thing there is.’

He acknowledged that he was unable to open the envelope, at which point Kimmel took over.

Cena – who defended embattled former WWE boss Vince McMahon earlier this month – later covered up with a gold toga to conclude the presentation.

Kimmel earlier in the evening roasted Robert Downey Jr’s manhood and past drug use in his bombshell opening monologue. The host, returning for the fourth time, left the A-listers grinning and cringing in equal measure as he took to the stage.

Downey Jr. 58, who won Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer, was stony-faced as Kimmel made a crass joke at the start of the ceremony – referring to his past addictions.

The WWE star-action film staple was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker running onto the stage at the ceremony , interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven

Cena told Kimmel, ‘Yeah, I – changed my mind. I don’t want to do the streaker bit’

The two exchanged words as Cena got very shy when the task at hand was in front of him

Cena walked sideways onto the stage with the envelope for Best Costume Design covering his genitals

The sports entertainment superstar played it like he was overwhelmed with the exposing segment

He said, ‘Costumes – they are so important – maybe the most important thing there is’

Cena later covered up with a Wrestlemania 9-worthy gold toga to conclude the presentation

Poor Things costume designer Holly Waddington accepted the statuette from Cena

He said: ‘And Robert Downey Jr., one of the highest points of his career. But Robert has been’ – as RDJ pointed at his face, leading Kimmel to add: ‘Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made?

‘But look at him, he’s so handsome, so talented, he’s won every award there is to win. Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis?’

The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera while fans slammed Kimmel for his ‘bottom of the barrel’ jokes about substance abuse.

Downey Jr. had previously spent time behind bars in 1999 after a long period of substance abuse which stifled his career.

The 96th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2023 – with the glittering ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The most hotly anticipated movies of the past year – Barbie and Oppenheimer – lead the nominations.

Oppenheimer has bagged 13 nods, including best picture and best actor for Cillian Murphy – who is favorite to win the major category after scooping a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and SAG award for his role as physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The impressive total – which also includes best supporting actor and actress for Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, as well as best director for Christopher Nolan – is just one nomination short of the all-time record set by Titanic in 1998.

Last year’s other smash hit movie – Barbie – was nominated for eight awards, but also fell victim to notable snubs from the Academy.

Kimmel roasted panned Madame Web, Barbie’s Oscars snubs and Robert Downey Jr. in his bombshell opening monologue on at the 2024 Oscars on Sunday

Downey Jr., 58, who won Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer was stony-faced as Kimmel made a crass joke at the start of the ceremony

The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera alongside wife Susan

The resilient film star had the last laugh as he collected his first Oscar for Oppenheimer

Jimmy Kimmel jokes about Robert Downey Jr. drug use at Oscars