Dwayne Johnson talks about becoming famous and why he doesn’t say no to fans.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s career has exploded since the ‘90s. The wrestler turned actor went from unknown to millions of fans around the world.
The actor explained his attitude toward being recognized and being admired by others in a video he shared on Thursday via IGTV. The clip was a response to a question by a fan, one of many he’s been answering on the platform during the Coronavirus pandemic.
He says that now, he tries not to get caught up with the idea of being famous. He said as a wrestler, he encountered excited fans everywhere, and it created a wrong perception of reality for him. The Rock was not as famous as he is now, but he felt like he was famous.
“I mean, I don’t know, I’m like the Beatles,” he said with a laugh. “Guys, listen, Beatles, Elvis, Jesus, and I’m this famous now.”
The Rock’s perception of fame changed after meeting two fans one night at a restaurant.
“I’m so grateful that it happened. I thank this couple, by the way,” he said. “They probably have no idea that they were part of a defining moment in my life. So they came over, and they were so nice, they said, ‘We’re so sorry, can we please have your autograph and a picture? So sorry.’ … I said ‘yes,’ but in a way that made them feel bad.”
“And in that moment, their demeanor changed, their energy changed. They went from excited and sorry but really excited to then they felt bad. I have goosebumps now thinking about it,” he recalled.
They left embarrassed, but he insisted on giving them an autograph. The fans continued to apologize and left.
“It took all of 30 seconds, not even 30 seconds, to realize that I had an opportunity to make somebody feel good and I made them feel bad… and what an a**hole that made me,” he said.
After that, he promised he would never make someone feel bad for asking for a photo or an autograph.
“[Fans] all get the same treatment, and that treatment is gratitude, and I appreciate you coming up and actually asking for my autograph,” he said, “because by the way, the alternative to that is I go back to having seven bucks in my pocket and nobody giving a s*** to get my autograph or get my picture. On top of that, here’s the truth: You know, taking a picture, a selfie or signing an autograph, is literally one of the easiest parts of my job.”
He gave some advice for aspiring actors. “Don’t worry about being famous. Worry about being good at something.”
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