It wasn’t all that way back that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was one of many few A-list stars on the planet that seemingly everybody appreciated. Proper alongside a small listing that features folks akin to Tom Hanks, Johnson had gone from professional wrestler to largest film star on the planet and developed a wild quantity of excellent will with the popular culture consuming public alongside the way in which (a lot in order that he was even teasing a attainable run for President of the US at one level).
Issues have modified a bit over the previous couple of years, nevertheless. Johnson hasn’t had an outright hit film in theaters for the reason that pandemic started, with “Jungle Cruise” and “DC League of Tremendous-Pets” disappointing theatrically. Extra notably, his DC superhero film “Black Adam” failed to start out a brand new franchise, regardless that Johnson appeared to be gunning to make himself the middle of the DC Universe. There have been additionally allegations of troubling on-set habits on his most up-to-date film “Purple One.”
A report surfaced earlier this yr alleging that The Rock peed in bottles on the “Purple One” set fairly than going to the lavatory, amongst different issues. The actor was additionally reportedly late to set regularly, which created a number of different issues for the manufacturing, inflicting the vacation motion movie’s finances to balloon to $250 million. Now, Johnson has addressed the scenario straight.
In a canopy story for GQ, Johnson each refuted the severity of these experiences whereas additionally proudly owning as much as the peeing in bottles factor. “Not likely man, they tried,” Johnson stated when it was famous that not many dangerous issues are written about him on-line. “I pee in a bottle. Yeah, that occurs.” He additionally admitted to being late to set generally, although he did argue in opposition to the frequency of it:
“Yeah, that occurs. However not that quantity, by the way in which. That was a bananas quantity. That is loopy. Ridiculous.”
Dwayne Johnson’s on-set habits is perhaps a matter of perspective
The issue with tales like that is that they’ll boil right down to a “he stated, she stated” scenario the place there are two sides, with no realizing how correct both one is. What’s fascinating, on this case, is that two of the largest destructive behaviors that had been cited within the report earlier this yr had been behaviors that Johnson has now owned. It is simply that he disagreed with the severity and the way in which it was framed within the authentic report.
“It was bulls**t,” Johnson additionally stated within the interview. “That was a complete different factor we will speak about, what that was. But it surely was like, ‘Okay.’ [shrugs].” For what it is value, “Purple One” director Jake Kasdan additionally spoke with GQ and had nothing however good issues to say concerning the Rock, having made three films with him to this point:
“[Dwayne] by no means missed a day of labor ever. He has rather a lot occurring. He might be late generally, however such is Hollywood — that is the case with everyone. Actually, I’ve made three large films with him. I’ve by no means seen him be something however nice to each single particular person on the set.”
Regardless of the case, one factor is definite; The Rock wants successful proper now. Whether or not or not “Purple One” might be that field workplace success is a bit sophisticated, given its large finances and the truth that it was initially imagined to go direct-to-streaming on Prime Video. However he is additionally obtained “Moana 2” simply across the nook, and that looks like a surefire winner within the making. Past that, he is moreover slated to return to the “Quick & Livid” franchise as Hobbs, which is a bankable play.
In the identical interview, the actor additionally talked a terrific deal about “The Smashing Machine,” which has Johnson remodeling into MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Directed by Benny Safdie (“Uncut Gems”) and produced by A24, this is a chance for The Rock to flex his chops as a performer … and possibly, simply possibly, put this entire peeing in bottles enterprise within the rearview mirror for good.
“Purple One” hits theaters on November 15, 2024.