Be Entertained!
Scaling a burning sky scraper is all in a day’s work
Thhroughouththihis career, Hollywood hunk Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has battled gorillas, armies, earthquakes and much more. But it was filming his latest movie
Skyscraper that’s been “one of the most unforgettable experiences” of his career.
He plays a war veteran and former FBI agent who’s desperately trying to rescue his family from a burning skyscraper – except he’s the one being accused of setting it alight.
What touched Dwayne the most was the fact that his character is an amputee. “It was an oopportunity too play a character that was quite different from what I’ve played in the past,” explains the 46-year-old. “It was very challenging. I did as much research as I could and I spent time with amputees, real-life people who were injured in battle. That was an incredible experience.”
Even on one leg, Dwayne gives Tom Cruise a run for his money when it comes to high-altitude film stunts. “This is a white-knuckler, stomach-tumbler, pressure cooker that’s not for the faint of heart,” he says. “If you’re afraid of heights, you will want to bring a friend!
“There’s been this phenomenon where people who are afraid of heights or have vertigo have been going to watch our movie wearing their Fitbits, and they’ve th bbeen reportingti hehhearteart rates over 100 while sitting down.” In 2015, Dwayne’s film San
Andreas became the highestgrossing action flick. This has lent high hopes to Skyscraper, which the star recognised as a winner straight away.
“The director gave me his preamble and immediately I was in,” recalls Dwayne. “It was different, fresh and cool. It has this clear reverence for movies that I love, like The Towering Inferno, Die Hard and The Fugitive – and it has the potential to be something that audiences really like.”