The Agency's Posts

Matthew McConaughey On 'Wolf Of Wall Street,' Leo DiCaprio: By Charles Thorp Much has been made lately about Matthew McConaughey's career renaissance.....
Read More>

Kate Moss at 40: supermodel still turning heads after 25 years: Croydon-born beauty has been the object of our gaze since she was 14 but shows no sign of losing....
Read More>

Leonardo DiCaprio: 'Wolf Of Wall Street' Doesn't Condone Bad Behavior: As the debate over whether Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" condones the....
Read More>

It's not enough to be a celebrity brand. Today you must be a guru: Want to do beach yoga like Gisele Bündchen? Or eat like Gwyneth Paltrow? Celebrities are....
Read More>

What I learned from online makeup tutorials: My addiction to beauty videos may have swallowed up hours of my life, but I have picked up a few....
Read More>

Mark Wahlbergs Lone Survivor misses the target: If a movie in which every Navy SEAL but one dies violently can be a feature-length recruitment....
Read More>

Abscam, '70s Couture and Jack Jones: The Making of 'American Hustle: David O. Russell's latest movie, a $40 million celebration of con men and the women who (sometim
Read More>

Robert De Niro & Sylvester Stallone Face Off In Feel-Good 'Grudge Match': The last time Robert De Niro laced on the gloves for the big screen he delivered a knockout....
Read More>

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, review: The sequel to Anchorman is surprisingly funny, says Robbie Collin, as an unexpected satire of....
Read More>

American Hustle. These Looks They Deceive: Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams Attend the Premiere of ‘American Hustle’ In the new....
Read More>
Sneak peek: The Rock becomes Hercules
Posted on: 03/25/14
Share/Save/Bookmark

"I was born to play this role," says the 6-foot-5 action star



Sometimes special moments strike like Zeus' thunderbolts on a movie set.For Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a massive jolt came on the set of Hercules (out July 25) during a scene when his Greek hero was chained to stone pillars."It's when Hercules breaks through the chains and becomes the demi-god he was born to be," says Johnson. "I was actually yelling with all the power I could muster, 'I am Hercules!' I gave it my all and made myself pass out every time we did it. But I honestly felt in that moment that I was born to play this role."From the looks of it, he might be right.

Even as a child, Johnson, 41, idolized the Herculean legend — "He was the first superhero." But with his 6-foot-5 frame and his famously heroic stature, Johnson is one of the few actors who could legitimately portray his hero onscreen.The effort has taken a decade, and came into focus when director Brett Ratner came onboard four years ago. Johnson took eight months to sculpt his body to demi-god status and maintained it during the taxing shoot in Hungary.

"It's incredible, he's up every morning at 3:45 right on the treadmill, then it was right to the gym for hours," says producer Beau Flynn. "And then it was to the makeup chair, then shooting all day in the heat. And repeat that for 90 days."

Johnsn's first transformation into his character took 41/2 hours after being adorned with a wig, beard, makeup and wardrobe. "It looked incredible, we had succeeded," says Johnson. "But it was like, how the hell can we cut the time down?"Eventually they whittled the daily process to 3 1/2 hours, though the lush yak-beard ("Yes, real yak hair," says Johnson) alone took 2 1/2 hours of application.

"The No. 1 goal is to make the definitive version of Hercules," says Johnson. "We know we're going to be under a microscope."A competing The Legend of Hercules, starring Kellan Lutz as the hero, bombed at the January box office and caused some initial "confusion," says Johnson. But he's confident moviegoers will accept his "passion-driven" project based on the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars.

The story finds Hercules after he has endured his famous 12 Labors (which included slaying a nine-headed hydra and the fearsome Nemean lion), punishment bestowed on him after killing his family in a fit of insanity.Hercules is still in a dark place mentally, with scars from his many battles. But now he is traveling with a group of mercenaries and cashing in on his famous name until he's hired to train an army for an epic battle.The setting allowed Johnson, wearing Hercules' Nemean lion headpiece and wielding a massive oak club (with the lion's claws), to lead war scenes featuring more than 1,000 soldiers.
Green screen and effects can be fantastic. But when you have real men, real sweat and even real blood, it's very gratifying," says Johnson. "You feel the substance."After he was done with some serious clubbing, Johnson would recover in modern Hercules style.

"I had the club of Hercules and the Nemean lion's head in my room," says Johnson. "I'd come home to that and catch something on the BBC with a glass of tequila."

 
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal