Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently opened up about the pivotal decision that took him from a legendary WWE career to the upper tier of Hollywood stardom.
Speaking during The Hollywood Reporter Actor Roundtable, Johnson discussed what ultimately motivated him to step away from the wrestling ring more than two decades ago and embrace the uncertainty of a new industry. According to Johnson, the move was driven by both faith and a desire to challenge himself creatively.
“Well, I think it was planned by something more powerful than me, for sure,” Johnson said. “Destiny, I believe in the universe, but I also wanted to grow, and I wanted to challenge myself.”
Johnson traced that realization back to his very first acting experience in The Mummy Returns, where he worked alongside Brendan Fraser. Filming took place in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, and Johnson revealed he was severely ill during the shoot after eating something that didn’t agree with him.
Despite the scorching 110-degree heat, Johnson recalled being wrapped in a blanket and shaking from chills. When director Stephen Sommers checked on him, Johnson insisted on pushing through.
“Stephen Sommers comes over, the director, ‘Hey, you okay?’ I’m like, ‘yeah, I’m okay. Let’s do it.’ He calls action,” Johnson said.
“We have our scene. And I had never acted before, but he called action. And when he says cut, you know, we hear the ‘Oh, you got bit by the acting bug, the thing that happens.’ When he yelled cut, I went, ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’”
That moment proved to be career-defining. Since his breakout role in 2001, Johnson has appeared in nearly 50 feature films, evolving from action blockbusters to more dramatic and diverse roles. His recent projects include the critically acclaimed The Smashing Machine, produced by A24 and directed by Benny Safdie, as well as a voice role in Zootopia 2.
Johnson’s reflection highlights how a single, grueling day on set confirmed what would become one of the most successful career pivots in entertainment history—transforming “The Rock” from a WWE icon into a global Hollywood powerhouse.
