A wave of Hollywood star sightings across the UAE has drawn regional media attention this month. John Cena, the retired WWE champion turned Hollywood actor, is heading to Abu Dhabi to headline the 14th edition of the Middle East Film & Comic Con (MEFCC), running September 11-13 at ADNEC Centre. Cena will personally appear on September 12 and 13.
A 16-time WWE world champion who retired from in-ring competition in 2025, Cena has built a growing film résumé that includes The Suicide Squad, the Fast & Furious franchise and Bumblebee. He joins a celebrity lineup that includes Simu Liu, Mackenyu and Jacob Romero from Netflix's One Piece, Marvel's Pom Klementieff, KPop Demon Hunters voice star Arden Cho, and Star Wars actor Joonas Suotamo. Organizers say last year's edition drew more than 46,000 visitors, a 24 percent rise since 2022.
Separately, Patrick J. Adams, known for playing Mike Ross in Suits, was spotted dining at Carbone Dubai inside Atlantis The Royal on Palm Jumeirah. The New York import has become one of the city's prime celebrity-spotting venues, previously hosting Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The sightings underscore Dubai and Abu Dhabi's growing pull as stopovers and event destinations for major international stars.