The Rock Says Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Clint Eastwood, and Bruce Willis Were Good To Him Early In His Career

In the early 2000s, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) started to make inroads in Hollywood as he transitioned from the world of pro wrestling. 

The Rock was the top draw in wrestling, battling it out with Steve Austin on the marquee. When The Rock got to Hollywood, he was linked to action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. 

Speaking to Patrick Bet David, The Rock was asked about competing with other top names in his respective fields. 

“Those guys, I know all of those guys, and we competed on a great level, but the truth is, in wrestling it’s a little different. You still compete and you still have keep your head on a swivel. It’s shark-infested waters in that world and this world, too. Business, entertainment, sport, sports entertainment. When I got to Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Clint Eastwood, and Bruce Willis. Those four men were so good to me when I got to Hollywood, and they didn’t have to be. They were the biggest stars in the world at that time. They were welcoming, I would seek them out, they would come to me. We all stayed in touch and become friends. I never forgot that because they were in positions where they didn’t have to be. The ones who are confident in themselves and their success and want to see not only the business grow but want to see people do well. You want to see somebody who is a good person do well.

“It’s the people you don’t meet, behind the scenes; those are the ones trying to hold you down. The ones who are confident, the quiet ones will sit and they are really the powerful ones who make all the decisions. The ones who are behind the scenes trying to hold you down, those are the ones who are chicken shit, who will never come to you, you’ll never see them. Instead of me trying to find them or trying to figure out ‘who made that call? Why did this happen?’ I thought, ‘I’ll always remember the people who are good to me.’ Then I realized, the person I compete with the most is me. It’s you vs. you. That’s something we can all attest to.”

Elsewhere during the interview, The Rock revealed early negotiations he had with Vince McMahon and how he asked for double what Steve Austin was making. 

Fans can find his full comments by clicking here. 

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