How Australian actor figured out The Rock’s secret project
The local actor who plays Dwayne Johnson in a series about his life has revealed he almost said no to the show – until he uncovered an epic secret.
When Australian actor Uli Latukefu was asked to audition for the role of an 18-year-old, he, being in his late 30s, baulked at the idea.
“I said no way,” the 38-year-old told news.com.au.
The Sydney performer, who had just finished starring in local Nine drama Doctor Doctor in 2019, was approached for an unnamed international NBC production – but the pitch was a little light on key details.
“I called my agent and said, ‘[The character] is 18. This isn’t going to pass.’ And then an email came back and said, ‘Just have a look at the character, he looks older than 18.’”
Despite thinking it was “ridiculous”, Latukefu decided to give the script a read.
“Hang on a second … This is The Rock,” he remembers thinking.
Alas, the mysterious project was an in-the-works series about Hollywood’s highest paid actor, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, based on his life from early childhood until his fictional 2032 US presidential run.
It stars several actors, including Adrian Groulx as 10-year-old Rock, Bradley Constant as an early teen Rock, and Latukefu as an 18 to 21-year-old Rock.
“I had no idea it was about him … I pieced it together and went, ‘Yep, I’ll take this!’
“I would have been filthy [if I didn’t say yes].”
The first and second seasons were shot on the Gold Coast in Queensland, while the third season, which premieres November 6 on Foxtel, was shot in Memphis, US.
The upcoming season is set to feature Latukefu’s Rock more prominently, and is set during the Rock’s college football era and WWE reign.
“We basically evolve into the Rock we know today … Leaving season two [Dwayne] is hated, he’s the champion, but crowds hate him, they’re booing him, and we’ll see him become a more authentic version of himself,” Latukefu said.
“For this season, Dwayne really wanted to capture what it meant to be authentic and true to himself as opposed to what he thought the company wanted.
“He gave me a lot of freedom thankfully – he’s definitely not a micromanager.”
And his partnership with Johnson, 50, hasn’t stopped at Young Rock.
The US actor called Latukefu personally and asked him to star in the DC superhero blockbuster, Black Adam, which is currently showing in cinemas.
Latukefu, who plays ‘The Champion’, described how shooting the $200 million film was one of his most memorable experiences.
“It was all very quick … I flew out to Atlanta and you’re on this lot, which is bigger than the Fox Studios one [in Sydney], and there’s so many people running around and the whole thing is centred around Dwayne Johnson,” he said.
“It was such an experience, to see him walk on set and feel the whole environment just shift.
“To top it off, he’s just the coolest human in person.”
A star on the rise, Latukefu has also worked with another industry veteran – famed English director Ridley Scott – who he collaborated with on the 2017 feature film Alien: Covenant.
“Ridley was very sweet … He left me a note, I won’t tell you the contents, but I was flattered,” he said. “There’s a reason why he’s still around. He’s such a pro.”
Young Rock season 3 premieres November 6 on Foxtel
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