Dwayne Johnson credits Brendan Fraser for “kicking off” his acting career
Dwayne Johnson has opened up about his early acting career, crediting one industry titan with helping him kick things off in style.
Speaking on the New Heights podcast to NFL siblings Jason and Travis Kelce, Johnson reflected on one of the first films he was ever a part of: The Mummy Returns.
Johnson admitted he was “so excited to be cast in the film in a small part called the Scorpion King.” He then turned his attention towards the series star, Fraser. He shared, “Brendan Fraser, by the way, I always want to make mention of this. He was one of the biggest stars in the world. That was his franchise. I am coming in, I have never acted before, I’m excited. He could have easily said, ‘I don’t know if I want this wrestler.'”
Johnson will never forget the kindness, adding that Fraser “embraced me. I love that man for that, and he helped kick off my career.”
The 2001 sequel to the original blockbuster sees Johnson on screen for approximately “five minutes total in the movie”. Johnson admitted that he appeared “just in the beginning of the movie and at the end of the movie.” Nevertheless, he added candidly, “I was just so excited at the opportunity.”
Fraser has been as forthcoming about his relationship with the Moana voice actor. Discussing Johnson’s latest project, the wrestling biopic The Smashing Machine, Fraser shared, “Dwayne, he’s a really great guy and it’s gonna be exciting to watch him emerge from this. I predict you’ll be seeing a lot more of him on these red carpets in the days to come.”
Johnson plays the former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, who struggled with addiction. Though his commitment to the role has been praised, the project has bombed at the box office.
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