For years, Dwayne The Rock Johnson was known for playing one type of character the conquering action hero, usually in a jungle, wearing a tight shirt, cargo pants, and saving the day. The similarity between roles became so obvious that it spawned a viral meme featuring four of his movies that looked nearly identical.
During an interview on NBC New York, Johnson responded to the meme head-on. Presented with the side-by-side collage of his jungle-themed roles, The Rock admitted he got the first title wrong at first but quickly recovered and nailed the rest. Rampage. Two Jumanjis, and Journey to Mysterious Island. Amazing. Jumanji, he said, before correcting himself.
After getting them all correct, he tore the meme in half physically and metaphorically putting it behind him. The interview then shifted to his physical transformation for his latest film The Smashing Machine, where he plays real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr a drastic change from his usual muscle-bound superhero persona. The interviewer recalled seeing Johnson after his full transformation during a camera test:
In press for The Smashing Machine, Johnson revealed hes long felt boxed in by the roles offered to him.
The Rocks new role is a departure from the formula that helped him become one of Hollywoods top earners and it may be the beginning of a new era in his career.
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