The Secret to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Success

The Secret to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Success

Dwayne Johnson is ending 2017 on a high note. The Rock earned a stunning $65 million this year for h..

Dwayne Johnson is ending 2017 on a high note. The Rock earned a stunning $65 million this year for his work in Ballers,The Fate of the Furious,Baywatch, and his upcoming action-comedy Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle— just $3 million behind top earner Mark Wahlberg, who made $68 million pre-tax, according to Forbes. As a kid, the wrestler-turned-action star was once evicted from his home because his family could not afford to pay rent; now, he’s at the top of the food chain. What’s the secret to his success?

“It’s hard work and gratitude,” Johnson told Vanity Fair at the Jumanji premiere Monday, held at the historic T.C.L. Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. “You have to be focused, and you don’t come to the table with an ego. Once you reach a level of success, it’s about never taking anything for granted and showing gratitude. I am lucky to surround myself with smart people who are willing to take risks and willing to fail with me. I don’t have all the answers, and they’ve helped me. You also have to believe in yourself. When you start doubting yourself and start being someone else, things won’t work.”

A strong work ethic has also paid off for Johnson’s Jumanji co-star Kevin Hart—another top box-office draw who has sold out arenas across the country during his stand-up comedy tours. Forbes reported that between June 2015 and June 2016, he made a staggering $87.5 million.

“The key to my success has been hard work and determination. It’s really about working hard for what I want, and to constantly grow and get to new levels in the business,” Hart explained to Vanity Fair on the red carpet. “I have been very fortunate to work with amazing people, studios, and directors to back my ideas. So hopefully with the longevity of my career, I can continue to put myself in these situations and find great projects. The goal is to create content for the world, and it’s an amazing goal to have. You have to do things in baby steps, and then the work gets accomplished. But you always have to work hard to get there.”

Another one of The Rock and Hart’s Jumanji co-stars, Jack Black is no slouch himself; he has appeared in over 50 films, including fan favorites like School of Rock and The Holiday. He credits his genuine passion for entertaining for his longevity: “I think a lot of it, to be honest, was luck and being at the right place at the right time. But I think the main ingredient is just my love for the stage and performing,” explained Black. “I really love to be in front of a crowd. I love to put on a show, and I try to remind myself of that every time the stress gets too high.”

It seems like Jumanji will be another feather in all three actors’ caps. The film is getting largely positive reviews—it currently has an 83-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes—and received huge laughs at the premiere screening. The movie, out in theaters December 20, is about four high schoolers that get transported into an old video game, where they realize they have become the avatars they chose to play as. The awkward nerd turns into a brooding, muscular hero (Johnson), the jock becomes a powerless sidekick (Hart), the outcast wallflower becomes a sexy martial-arts fighter (Karen Gillan), and the self-absorbed popular girl becomes an overweight male scientist (Black). For Johnson, surprisingly enough, portraying a gawky teen was no stretch.

“I wasn’t popular growing up. I had an afro and pimples when I was around 13, and some kids thought I was a girl because of my hair and soft features,” he admitted. “I didn’t feel cool. I had a lot of insecurities about myself.”

Unlike Johnson, Hart grew up in Philadelphia, and got along with all his classmates. “I was always the cool kid,” exclaimed Hart. “I wasn’t a guy that ever ostracized anybody or a group. I’m a people person. I believe in living, loving, and laughing, and spreading that positive energy as much as possible. It makes you a much better person. That’s what I did as a kid, and that’s what I still do as an adult.”

As for Black, who steals the show with his hilarious performance as a narcissistic girl, he was an outgoing student who loved the arts. Fortunately, his school days helped him to master his character’s feminine side.

“For my role in the movie, I think I did most of my research from when I was a 16-year-old boy in the 80s,” he said. “I mean, I studied very hard on [my] other classmates. When you study someone that hard and that intensely out of sheer desire, you can use that later. The whole process of playing a girl is fun. I recommend it.”

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