CM Punk Talks Challenges Of Filming Outside Projects Without Taking Time Off From WWE

Aside from being one of the most popular stars on WWE television, CM Punk is also working to make a name for himself in TV and film, and he has discussed how he balances his wrestling and acting schedule.

Punk has acted in several TV shows and movies in recent years, and one of his recent projects, the TV show "Revival," was released recently. In an interview with "TV Insider," he explained his thought process when choosing acting roles and emphasized that he doesn't want to stay away from WWE television for too long.

"To pull some strings and get this scrubby American on the TV show with such accomplished actors, I'm forever grateful," said Punk. "The process is always changing. I say no to a lot of stuff too because I don't want to be pigeonholed. I take roles I find interesting that I can also fit into my schedule. I'm not trying to peace out for six months and disappear off WWE television unless it's the right role. So far, everything has been pretty fluid and smooth and has worked."

Punk revealed that the pandemic changed the audition process for TV shows and movies, as he could no longer perform live reads. He believes he works best when he can interact and receive feedback during live auditions. He added that several of the acting projects he has been involved in came through people he knows, and credited his talent agency for playing a major role in landing him the part in "Revival." 

Since his return to WWE in late 2023, Punk has been a part-time performer and wrestled primarily on PLEs and a handful of times on "Raw" shows, with WWE holding him out for big matches. "The Second City Saint" will have yet another high-profile match at the upcoming SummerSlam PLE, where he will face WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther.