One of the lesser-known people in the industry is ironically one of the most important. Even in the case of icons of the magnitude of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – the most recognized celebrity of modern times – the people who have stood by him, contributing to his epic rise in Hollywood, sadly remain mostly nameless, faceless, and unrewarded for the extraordinary efforts that help mortal men achieve immortality on the screens. However, The Rock is not one to let such a thing pass – not under his watch.
Dwayne Johnson Recognized the Efforts of Tanoai Reed
Dwayne Johnson is one of the few celebrities who one would want to receive a bear hug from while simultaneously shaking in their boots, scared of his dominating presence and authoritative command over every soul in his vicinity. Many a radio host has cracked jokes at the expense of Hollywood execs over the years about how their supposed conversations may go while deciding how to approach Johnson regarding a certain project – the one who draws the short straw gets to be the sacrificial lamb perhaps? Despite such commentaries, the confidence that The Rock exudes is one that is infectious to the core and his good-natured altruism is a trait that has famously been associated with him for a long time.
Tanoai Reed, Dwayne Johnson’s stunt double, has been on the receiving end of a similar treatment where he has been treated as more than just a friend and a partner, but a family who deserves to be acknowledged for the efforts he has made for his contributions in cinema away from the eyes of the mainstream audience. As such, The Rock not only presented him with a custom Ford F-150 that cost approximately $100,000 but reports claimed how the actor himself paid Reed’s salary for the 2006 film, Gridiron Gang, due to its limited production budget.
Tanoai Reed’s Foray Into Hollywood Beside The Rock
Tanoai Reed has lived quite a sensational life, even by the standards of a Hollywood stunt double. Already finding exceptionality in the fact that he has worked for Dwayne Johnson in films that have helped The Rock achieve the kind of ubiquitous fame that he possesses today, Tanoia Reed becomes even more impressive because of the fact that he has stood by the pro-wrestler turned actor and entrepreneur ever since his first foray into Hollywood in the late 90s.
Working in Hollywood ever since the critically panned (and the most expensive film ever made at the time of its release) Kevin Costner film, Waterworld, it wasn’t until 2002’s The Scorpion King that Reed and Johnson would begin their journey toward Hollywood dominion together. Matched by physicality, age, heritage, and blood, the actor-stuntman duo were not only defined by their work but happened to be cousins as well. And their Hollywood foray since 2002 has been markedly unparalleled, comprising such films as San Andreas, Rampage, Jumanji, and Fast and Furious 7 and 8 – all of which worked to propel Dwayne Johnson to the echelons of movie stardom.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
