Why Dwayne Johnson chose Down Under to make autobiographical comedy Young Rock
Young Rock director Jeffrey Walker how he turned south-east Queensland into the US for Dwayne Johnson’s project.
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By any measure, literally or figuratively, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of the biggest stars in the world.
So, when the larger-than-life former professional wrestler turned actor, whose films have grossed more than $13 billion at the box office, was looking to make Young Rock, a sitcom series based on his formative years, Australian director Jeffrey Walker was all ears.
“I’ve followed Dwayne’s career for decades now,” says the actor-turned-director, whose credits behind the camera include Rake, Jack Irish, Difficult People and the acclaimed, award-winning 2019 Foxtel drama, Lambs Of God. “I was a wrestling fan, then slowly watched him become the biggest film star in the world. He’s an extremely likeable, genuine, talented man.”
There was a touch of COVID-related serendipity in how it all came together too. Walker had already worked with Young Rock’s creators Nahnatchka Khan and Jeff Chiang on US sitcoms Fresh Off the Boat and Don’t Trust the B---- In Apartment 23.
Their decision to move shooting from the US to the much safer option of Brisbane last year coincided with Walker having just had two projects cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the Aussie director with the formidable task of turning the sunny Queensland capital and surrounds into all manner of different environments crucial to Johnson’s unconventional childhood.
“For this series, we turned Brisbane into Pennsylvania, Hawaii and Miami,” Walker says. “We even created an arctic tundra. I loved filming Young Rock in South East Queensland. The Australian cast and crew were extraordinary and delivered a very special show for audiences around the world.”
Such an autobiographical project as Young Rock might have an air of vanity about it for some actors, but there’s no question that Johnson has had an extraordinary life that makes rich fodder for both drama and comedy.
He first shot to global stardom in the 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation – and as a ten-time world champion is still regarded as one of its greatest proponents thanks to his signature moves including the Rock Bottom and the People’s Elbow, not to mention an innate sense of showmanship, with his People’s Eyebrow and his trademark bellow of “can you smell what the The Rock is cooking?”.
But while his career coincided with the glitzy, big-money days of the WWF, Johnson comes from a long line of wrestlers including his father Rocky Johnson and grandfather Peter Maivia, who both plied their trade in a much simpler, and far less cashed-up time for the sport. Young Rock traces Johnson and his family’s years of struggle growing up in the wrestling world, often living hand to mouth alongside colourful characters including Andre the Giant, The Wild Samoans, The Iron Sheik, Randy Savage and Junkyard Dog.
Although young Dwayne seemed destined for a life in the ring, he initially aspired to be professional footballer, and while he was always surrounded by love and support as he pursued his goal through high school and then at the University of Miami, there was plenty of hardship and setbacks along the way.
“During the table reads, Dwayne explained to all of us that this project means the world to him and his family,” Walker says. “It’s a vulnerable position to put yourself in; handing the keys to your life story over to filmmakers on the other side of the world. But he’s very proud of the work, and I hope we’ve delivered him a living photo album for his family to enjoy for all time.”
Johnson introduces the episodes as flashbacks as a candidate for the 2032 US Presidential Election (“anything is possible!”, says Walker), and while he describes the version of himself in Young Rock as “dialled up to 11”, there’s always truth in the tales, even if they are embellished for comic effect.
“We have very talented writers who can take a story from Dwayne’s past and turn it into a half-hour comedy episode, with oodles of heart,” says Walker. “Dwayne is self-deprecating and embraces his past completely – with all the highs and lows.”
Three actors play Johnson in Young Rock: Canadian Adrian Groulx as the 10-year-old version, American Bradley Constant as the 15 year-old version and Aussie Uli Latukefu as the college-aged, 18-20-year-old version. And while the man himself didn’t make the trip Down Under during the pandemic, he made sure he passed his wisdom on remotely to his proteges all living in the Brisbane hub.
“Dwayne chatted to all of the actors and shared insights into his family’s life,” Walker says. “The cast were all living in Brisbane for the shoot and spent time together, building the foundations for the series. Making a film in Covid times is quite a unifying experience.”
While the contrived world of professional wrestling has its detractors, who insist the action is fake and the outcomes are fixed (a running gag in Young Rock is “don’t ever use the F word”), Walker went to extremes to make sure that the fight scenes in the series were portrayed as accurately as possible.
“The wrestling scenes were absolutely wild,” he says. “We filmed a Battle Royal with eighteen wrestlers in the ring – most of which were our lead actors, two hundred extras, one hundred and fifty crew, and six cameras, filmed over two days at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. It was one of the most ambitious shoots I’ve been a part of, and I loved every second of it.”
Young Rock, Sunday, 6.30pm, Fox8 and On Demand.
Originally published as Why Dwayne Johnson chose Down Under to make autobiographical comedy Young Rock
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