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The Rock Says He Had to Stop Conforming to Be a Success in Hollywood
November 23, 2016 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
The Rock
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson spoke with the LA Times promoting his film Moana. You can check out some highlights from the interview below, which touch on his difficulty finding roles early in his career and how he became a successful star:
On having trouble getting roles early in his career: “When I first got into the business, I didn’t have studios knocking on my door. I couldn’t greenlight anything. So I made a vow and a pact to myself that I was going to understand the business from top to bottom. I’m new to acting, therefore, who are the best coaches? Who are the studio executives I should know so I can understand how the business works on the marketing and publicity side, on the production side? I really wanted to be a sponge and I didn’t give a [damn] if it was overwhelming. Bring it on. I got one shot at this.”
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On using social media to listen to fans: “I’m on everything all day. I’m doing my best. Because here’s the thing. When I was wrestling in flea markets and fairs and used car dealerships in front of 150 people, getting paid $40 a night, I developed a skill to listen. When those 150 people would respond to something, it was like, ‘Let’s go in that direction more.’ I think developing that has helped me.”
On deciding to be himself after he tried to conform to a typical ‘leading man’ image: “And then it hit me: I’m not being authentic. I’m really not being me. I like going to the gym. I like driving my pickup truck and maybe I don’t want to live in Hollywood. Maybe I want to live in Florida in the country. Maybe I don’t want to wear a suit. I love wrestling and I love going back and being with the fans even if I don’t wrestle anymore. I’m that guy.”
@Brooklynzson 