Long before teaming up with Martin Scorsese or getting ready to revive his role as Maui in the upcoming live-action Moana, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was just a kid in Charlotte, North Carolina, watching movies in a packed theater with his head tilted back and his eyes glued to the screen. Now, he’s one of the biggest actors on the 2025 movie schedule and beyond. But it wasn’t all about the glitz and glam. He credits a key moment in his childhood, one that, of course, had to do with Harrison Ford, for setting him on the path to becoming the wrestling legend and blockbuster star with a ton of upcoming movie projects we know today.
In a recent Instagram video, the Jumanji series veteran responded to a fan who asked if he’d always wanted to be an actor. As it turns out, the seed was planted early, thanks to one iconic archaeologist-adventurer: Indiana Jones. Johnson remembered:
The answer is yes… When I was 8 years old and living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Raiders of the Lost Ark just came out, and I was so super pumped for that movie… I remember thinking to myself, [points up at screen] ‘I wanna do that. That’s what I want to do. I wanna be that guy.’ Holy shit, was he cool. The hat, the whip, the charm.
The full video, posted to Johnson’s personal account @therock, is classic Rock; part heartfelt, part rambling, and fully entertaining. In it, he also goes on a tangent about Tom Selleck, revealing he’s been listening (twice!) to the actor’s audiobook and was blown away by the story of his involvement, or lack thereof, in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He continued:
Man, I’m such a big Tom Selleck fan, especially those Magnum P.I. days, because I was growing up in Hawaii and they were shooting there. You’d see Tom around the island and be like, ‘Oh shit, there’s Tom Selleck.’ So cool.'
Johnson, who has built his career playing charismatic and gritty heroes on the big screen, definitely hasn’t lost touch with the awe that moment gave him. Seeing Harrison Ford whip his way through Raiders of the Lost Ark was a game-changer for him. It wasn’t just an incredible movie moment; as the video below shows, it was actually “the” moment that shaped the life of the Moana star.
It would be years before Johnson stepped into the spotlight in some of the most anticipated upcoming action movies. Still, he credits that early Indy cinematic experience with lighting the fire. It’s a reminder that sometimes, it only takes one movie, one role, or one larger-than-life performance to change everything.
From a front-row kid in Charlotte to global superstardom, the Jungle Cruise star’s journey started with a whip crack, a fedora, and a dream to be “that” guy. As far as movie origin stories go, this one’s pure gold.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is expected to appear next in an upcoming A24 film, a biopic directed by Benny Safdie titled The Smashing Machine, where he plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Stay tuned for more updates about everyone’s favorite wrestler turned actor.
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