In a podcast interview, Dwayne Johnson looked back on the early days of his acting career and shared how Brendan Fraser helped him in his first movie.
Before becoming an actor, Dwayne Johnson was already known to the public as a major wrestling superstar. In a recent interview, he reflected on the beginning of his film career and spoke about how Brendan Fraser supported him.
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On the podcast New Heights, hosted by NFL stars and brothers Jason and Travis Kelce, Johnson explained that the “The Whale” actor was already a major movie star when he made his small debut appearance in “The Mummy Returns“, which starred Fraser.
“The first movie I ever did was called The Mummy Returns, and Brendan Fraser was one of the biggest stars in the world — as he is today,” Johnson said. “I was so excited to be cast in the film, playing a small role called the Scorpion King.”
“It was his franchise,” he added, referring to Fraser. “I was just starting out, had never acted before, and was thrilled. He could have easily said, ‘I don’t know if I want this wrestler in my movie.’”
According to Johnson, despite being a successful actor, Fraser welcomed him warmly — a gesture that, he says, was crucial for his career moving forward.
“He embraced me. I love that man for it, and he helped launch my career,” Johnson revealed.
The Mummy Returns (2001) was a huge box-office success, and even though Johnson appeared for only five minutes, it led to his first starring role in “The Scorpion King” (2002).
Currently, Johnson stars in “The Smashing Machine“, a biographical film about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, which premiered in October 2025. The actor has discussed the emotional and physical impact of playing the role and the deep respect he developed for fighters.
Images: Universal / Reproduction. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
