Dwayne Johnson has established himself as a notable figure within Hollywood; respected and admired by many in the industry. The former professional wrestler has come a long way since his first film role in 2001’s The Mummy Returns. He is now associated with many uber-ambitious endeavors and acclaimed franchises. There’s simply no stopping Johnson, as he continues to build his empire.
While the Jumanji alum’s talent, dedication, and passion have led him to bask in the glory of prosperity and fame, his continuous, never-ending growth couldn’t have been possible without the painstaking behind-the-scene efforts of his ex-wife and manager, Dany Garcia. The multihyphenate’s entrepreneurial, business, and managerial skills allowed Johnson to establish his reign over the industry, quickly becoming a household name in Tinseltown.
Dany Garcia, in a 2017 interview, shed some light on what it was like to become the manager of her former spouse, revealing interesting facts on what exactly it took for the actor to reach the top. While Hollywood may have had a particular vision and plan for Johnson, Garcia was ready to ensure that the Baywatch talent would remain true to his essence.
Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Professional Partnership
The former couple may have called quits on their marriage but changes in their romantic relationship never once affected their professional partnership. The two ensured that they would not go through a separation that entailed “no conversation.” The process behind this took mutual effort but also came naturally to both.
In an interview with Marie Claire, the skilled entrepreneur confirmed how even before the divorce, she had been partaking in conversations with Dwayne Johnson‘s agents as well as giving her insights on the scripts the actor would be offered. The former pro-wrestler thought it only made sense for Dany Garcia to do this on a full-time basis. The two engaged in a year-long contemplation, where they looked over the reasons behind what went wrong in their marriage.
Subsequently, it became a matter of clearing up those obstructive elements and ensuring that there’s a foundation of “real understanding and respect.”
Following was Garcia’s statement:
“…We spoke every day, and multiple times a day—not only on business but on what was happening personally. We spent over a year looking at the things that didn’t work in our marriage, the reasons why, making sure those elements had been cleared and taken care of, and that we had a real understanding of respect.”
At present, Dwayne Johnson and his manager Dany Garcia have adopted a healthy discipline, which necessitates waking up every day and saying, “That worked out well yesterday. How am I going to improve on that?” This allows the two to continuously work on themselves, enabling them to essentially overcome any obstacle. As claimed by the esteemed businesswoman herself, utilizing such a method produces “joyful results.”
Hollywood Career Required Dwayne Johnson To Lose Weight
In the interview Dany Garcia also confirmed that Hollywood was ordering ex-husband Dwayne Johnson around, demanding the actor to get rid of his authenticity in exchange for fame. A similar sentiment was affirmed by the Jumanji alum himself when he reflected on the baffling stipulations that he had to encounter.
The Black Adam actor stated during a CBS Sunday Morning interview that before he made a name in the industry, he was told to reduce weight to succeed in the Hollywood business. Additionally, he was told to avoid any discussions on wrestling and to stop referring to himself as The Rock. This quickly became a suffocating experience for the star.
The most disheartening part about this revelation is that Johnson did try his best to lose weight and get smaller. In his words, however, “It all felt wrong.”
Dany Garcia revealed a similar truth. When asked about her management of Johnson, the film producer stated the following:
“In any partnership, you have to double down on the talent or the asset. It can never be about, ‘You need to change more. You need to get smaller. You need to do this. You need to look like this.’ It has to be more of a true belief: ‘Who are you and what are you passionate about?'”
She recalled that Johnson would frequently have conversations about this. The Jumanji actor, who was trying his best to fit into the mold Hollywood made for him, had lost considerable weight. Ultimately, Johnson admitted that he couldn’t do it anymore. He expressed to Garcia that he needed to be his authentic self. The businesswoman, showing her utmost support, said, “Let’s do you. That’s all we need to do. Let’s make Hollywood make room for you.”
It was only when the former pro-wrestler accepted his genuineness and started being himself was when Hollywood itself “conformed” around Johnson, instead of the other way around. With his manager’s professional support and friendship and his own decision of staying true to his essence, the Moana talent has been enjoying his reign over Hollywood ever since.
As Johnson continues making huge career moves, it will be exciting to see what the future has in store for the beloved star.
Source: Marie Claire