It’s difficult to imagine that a small role in The Mummy Returns would be the first step on a massive career for a guy who was famous at the time for being a professional wrestler. But Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would start with The Scorpion King, and he has become a bonafide movie star who recently released The Smashing Machine. It turns out Mummy star Brendan Fraser is as blown away as the rest of us.
Speaking with Joshua Horowitz at the 92nd Street Y, Fraser was asked if he felt he was responsible for Dwayne Johnson’s career. While the Oscar Winner doesn’t seem to take much credit, he does acknowledge that Johnson himself has given him some credit. Mostly, Fraser just wants to talk about how great an actor Johnson has become. He said…
I know for a fact that Dwayne is; he has the heart of an actor in him. If you haven’t seen Smashing Machine, check it out. I think he gives a formidable performance, and he’s definitely come into his own. But he does say, ‘Hey, thank you.’
Dwayne Johnson has spoken publicly about how welcoming Brendan Fraser was during the production of The Mummy Returns. He celebrated his co-star’s Oscar win for The Whale as much as anybody when it happened. Fraser may not be in a position to take credit for Johnson’s career, but he certainly did his part during a key time.
It will be quite something if, a couple of years after Brendan Fraser won an Oscar, his co-star in a Mummy movie might have a chance at the same. While The Smashing Machine was not a box office hit, Dwayne Johnson’s performance has received praise, leading many to wonder if he might be in the hunt for awards. Fraser clearly believes those conversations are justified because The Rock’s performance is that good. He continued…
He’s a real good guy. His performance, well, for one thing, it’s absolutely put him in the conversation for all this awards pomp and circumstance. That’s for real.
Fraser also let slip that he and Dwayne Johnson recently got together for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, and had so much fun talking they wanted to keep going even after the official show got wrapped up. It seems the duo really do love each other as much as Fraser makes it sound here.
Fraser will be returning to the franchise that launched Dwayne Johnson’s career, as The Mummy 4 is currently in development. No word if there might be a place for the Scorpion King, but one imagines that both stars would jump at the chance to work together again, especially considering they never really worked together the first time.