Did WWE force Cody Rhodes to play 'Stardust' back in the day? Disclosing the truth

It's no secret that Cody Rhodes' time as Stardust in WWE was not met with the most incredible response by fans and the star himself. However, it seems the idea of playing the character was something the 37-year-old could not turn down.

Before Cody took on the bizarre gimmick in the Stamford-based promotion, he had a notable tag team run with his brother Dustin Rhodes (aka Goldust). The duo got a good reception from fans, but certain people in WWE thought the tandem was growing stale and decided to create Stardust to pair with Dustin's Goldust.

From the looks of it, Cody Rhodes had no choice but to accept the Stardust character. Cody Rhodes previously revealed that the gimmick was the idea of Stephanie McMahon.

"Oh man, [Stardust was pitched] just in the worst way ever (...) Stephanie McMahon just randomly blurted out in Gorilla [position], 'Why don't you paint your face like your brother?' And I'm looking, like, 'Ah?' just trying to get out of the curtain, just trying to get out of the curtain, and then I saw the old man, I saw Vince [McMahon] just [imitating Vince], 'Yes!' And he came out of Gorilla, headset off, and he gave me the creative services guys' info." [H/T Wrestling Inc.]

Rhodes left WWE in 2016, citing the fact that Stardust was a factor that influenced his departure. He soon became a prominent name on the independent circuit and was one of the brains behind AEW's inception. He left the Jacksonville-based promotion in 2022 and, after six years, returned to his old hunting ground.

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What other plans did WWE have for Cody Rhodes' Stardust?

Fans witnessed The American Nightmare portray the face-painted character in the final years of his initial run in the company. However, another idea was pitched where Cody Rhodes and Stardust would have existed simultaneously.

As it turns out, there was a plan where Rhodes would have portrayed himself on one brand and Stardust on the other. The former TNT Champion and most people in charge were seemingly on board with the idea, except for one important person.

“At one point, the plan was for me to be Stardust on one brand, and Cody Rhodes on another brand. I thought that was a really great idea. Absolutely wanted to do it! Everybody wanted to do it except for one person who will remain nameless, but that one person has the main vote,” revealed Cody.

What did you think about Stardust in WWE? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.