Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: Firing Agent Saved My Career (Exclusive)

Tom Butler

It’s been quite a journey for The Rock, from wrestling icon to the Hollywood A-list.

His latest film ‘Hercules’ sees him finally playing the role he always dreamed of, but he had to make some tough career decisions in order to get to where he is now, including firing his agents.

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We caught up with the star recently and asked him, was there a particular film that prompted his decision? You can watch the interview in full above.

“You know what happens, when you have a vision, and you want it executed in a certain way, you need people around you who are going to believe in that too.

“And at that time, there were some things that were happening… and I knew I had to make a change.”

[Read more: JJ Abrams Reveals Star Wars 7’s X-wing]

He changed publicists and switched agents after 2010’s ‘The Tooth Fairy’, a move that his business manager and ex-wife Dany Garcia told The Hollywood Reporter was essential as “Dwayne was moving away from his core of who he was.”

But Johnson, ever the diplomat, refused to name and shame the critically-mauled 20 Century Fox comedy.

“There wasn’t just one particular movie that that happened on. It just happened over a period of time, and I needed people around me who shared the same vision.”

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Changing the team around him has definitely worked out for the best. His new agents have secured him places in a number of lucrative franchises including ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’, ‘G.I. Joe’, ‘Fast and Furious’, and now ‘Hercules’.

His ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ director John Chu christened the actor “Franchise Viagra” for his talent of resurrecting seemingly doomed film brands, a fitting moniker for the fast-rising star.

‘Hercules’ is in cinemas this Friday.

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