rock solid
Dwayne Johnson has morphed from pro-wrestler The Rock into one of the biggest, most bankable movie stars in the world. He tells Total Film how a strong work ethic and gritty grounding helped make that happen…
That Dwayne Johnson works all hours God gives is evident by the fact that TF is sitting down with him in a luxe hotel suite in the The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on Valentine’s Day afternoon. A demonstrative man who enjoys a big statement (see his rammed social feeds), we’d have thought he’d have been extravagantly wooing his missus rather than discussing his latest blockbuster over un-celebratory mineral water. “Oh, later on I’ll take my lovely lady to dinner,” he assures us. Then that famous eyebrow raise, a beat, and the ice-white smile. “But I will make her pay for it. That’s important. These are sensitive times.”
Though he’s quick to joke and laugh, the over-riding impression of Johnson in the flesh is one of steely ambition, industry savvy and a healthy selfawareness. Towering over 6ft and built like a mahogany sideboard, he’s an imposing figure, but finer featured and more introspective than his on-screen persona suggests. And while he’s been the highest paid actor in the world (pipped last year by Mark Wahlberg), the Sexiest Man Alive and – the week we talk – his latest film, Jumanji, had banked $900 million (and rising), Johnson stresses that he never loses sight of his more humble beginnings (living “paycheque to paycheque” in Hawaii) and the homework it took to make it in the first place.
“When I first got into Hollywood there wasn’t a blueprint for me – there wasn’t the half-black, half-Samoan pro-wrestler who made it,” he admits. “I had to have the mindset of, ‘I’m going to make my own way, learn as much as I can, surround myself with people who know what they’re doing. The only thing I know I have confidence in is the work that I can put in.’” That sensibility is still very much in evidence for the 45-year-old – his Rampage co-star Naomie Harris marvels that he’s always “working or working out” and Johnson’s self-curated Instagram is testament to his gruelling pre-dawn gym sessions, constant travel and unflagging promotion of his projects. The treadmill (literally and metaphysically) it seems, is constant.
So what’s the drive? For Johnson it’s two-fold, but both factors are linked to a respect for and awareness of money (or lack of it). “Honestly, it’s probably a derivative of being evicted. I just remember, at that time, I was 14 years old. I told myself that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that we’re never evicted again,” he nods, but stressing that he does give himself some weekends off. “We’re a long way away from being evicted these days, but I think that’s just in the DNA.”
That understanding of “the shit that [people are] going through” informs his unapologetically entertaining movie choices (“I know what it’s like to go see movies that let you escape”) and spurs his social media sharing. “It’s a direct line from me to audiences and anything I want to share, I bring them along – and early. I want them to feel invested in [a movie]. Because ultimately, money doesn’t grow on trees. You’re going to go to the movies with your friends or your family, and then there’s parking and popcorn? That’s expensive.”
Johnson’s social strategy roll-out is now something that’s a given part of signing him up to a project. “I’ve worked with every studio, and they automatically go, ‘Hey, the show is yours,’” he smiles. And why wouldn’t they? With his legions of fans and work ethic, Johnson is an MVP on a production and a star who is assured of and comfortable with his own worth. “I’ve come to a point in my life where I’m very aware of who I am and when I walk into a room there is an incredible amount of ease and comfort that I have,” he says. But he’s also vigilant in keeping his ego in check despite now living in a world of private jets and millions in the bank. “I make sure that there’s a sense of normalcy in our [family] life, and we’re doing really simple core things,” he stresses, living in Florida “where the alligators are”, rather than Hollywood. “And I make sure that I’m always remembering what the alternative can be – the times that were very lean, and nobody knew who I was and I didn’t have any money. So now things are different I think it allows me to live in a real space of gratitude.”