After 20 years in Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson is now a household name but it wasn't always that way. The wrestler-turned-actor revealed that he was told to be more like film stars George Clooney and Will Smith when he first made the move into acting. Prior to film star fame, Johnson had a prolific career as a professional wrestler which birthed his most famous nickname to date, The Rock.
Two decades on, Johnson opened up about how he has advised to portray a different image of himself to find success in the film industry - something he vehemently refused to do. In a moment of reflection, the Jumanji star took to Instagram to share a video of a mosaic of all of his films, which had been created for him by a hotel he held a meeting at.
He said: "I’ve never seen my movies laid out like this and it was a reminder for me to say thank you guys around the world, you and your families, thank you for the love, the support, the trust that I could deliver my passions. When I first got to Hollywood 20 years ago, I worked my arse off to get here and they told me, ‘look you can’t call yourself The Rock, don’t go to the gym, don’t talk about pro-wrestling. Be like George Clooney, be like Will Smith.’ And I said ‘no I’m not gonna be like those guys I gotta be myself and if I fail at my Hollywood career then at least I fail knowing I was me.’ Now years later I see this [mosaic] all because of you guys, I thank you and I love you. Thank you so much.”
Unbeknown to Johnson then, his decision to remain authentic would go on to be a driving force for his global triumph as an actor. The Red Notice star landed his first leading role in 2002 action movie The Scorpion King, a spin-off of The Mummy franchise. Over the course of the next 20 years, he made his presence inescapable and undeniably memorable, producing well over 50 movies. His extensive list of on-screen appearances include leading roles in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, Disney's Moana, action-thriller San Andreas, and the widely-adored Fast and Furious saga. Johnson has carved an unshakable path across the action, comedy, and thriller genres.
But in a true showcase of his versatility, the California-born star is now set to star in one of his biggest roles to date as emotionally complex anti-hero Black Adam, in the upcoming DC Comics epic. The character, who is distinctly known for his deep-rooted rage and ruthlessness, has never been brought to life on screen. With high expectations surrounding the film's release, Johnson could be well on his way to securing a superhero legacy of his own.
Check out Johnson's video below: