Dwayne Johnson Was Told Playing Gay Would “Ruin” His Career
August 4, 2022Dwayne Johnson has revealed he was told to avoid playing gay characters, according to Gay Times.
In celebration of Out magazine’s 30th anniversary, former editor Jeffrey R. Epstein shared some of his favorite cover stories, including Ellen DeGeneres, James Van Der Beek, and, The Rock.
Epstein covered Johnson for his 2005 crime-comedy, Be Cool, where he played a gay bodyguard, Elliot Wilhelm. The film also starred John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Danny DeVito.
“One of the nicest, smartest humans I have ever interviewed,” Epstein said.
Johnson responded to Epstein’s tweet, sharing that he was advised to avoid taking on queer roles as he transitioned from wrestling into acting, as it could “ruin his career." Thankfully, he dismissed this and played the part anyway.
“I was told back then (by a few influential folks) that playing a gay man would ‘ruin my career’. I said ‘hold my tequila and f*ck off.’ Nicely of course.”
This is not the first time The Rock has spoken up about LGBTQ+ rights. In his 2021 film Jungle Cruise, his character has a heart to heart with McGregor, played by Jack Whitehall, whose character is gay.
Although the film doesn’t explicitly say McGregor’s sexuality, his interests are said to “lie elsewhere” after a failed engagement to a woman.
During the press tour for the film, Johnson commented: “I felt that the scene was really exactly what it was, which was two men talking about what they loved and who they loved.”
Clearly, his role in Be Cool didn’t hinder his career. He went on to star in a number of films, including in Baywatch, the Fast and Furious franchise, Black Adam, and many more.
Read related myGwork articles here:
Actor Harry Hamlin Says Playing A Gay Character In 1982 Ruined His Film Career
Darren Criss Says He Has Been “S*** On” For Talking About Playing LGBTQ+ Roles
Michael Urie Explains Why Straight Actors Need To Stay Away From Gay Roles
Benedict Cumberbatch Opens Up About Straight Actors Playing Gay Characters
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