Hollywood star and former professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson has revealed that he lost the part of the popular character, Jack Reacher, to actor Tom Cruise. During a Q&A session on Instagram, Johnson revealed that he had auditioned for the part before it went to Cruise.
In the seven-minute video, the actor said that he vied for the role in the 2012 action flick. However, he added that losing the part opened other doors for him, "Business is business and I'm happy (Cruise) got it," he said, according to the Daily Mail Online.
Was confident about getting the part
The action star said he was confident about getting the part as he believed his physical attributes were perfect for the character, which has been created by author Lee Child.
"In Hollywood, actors are kind of like in-a-box. There are actors that can vie for a particular role because it allows for them to have a certain look, skin colour, size, etc. Fortunately, for me, there aren't a lot of guys at all who look like me. So, all of my roles, from the beginning of my career, I've been a lucky son of a b***h that they've been created and designed for me -- except Jack Reacher," he said.
At that time, Johnson said that Cruise was "biggest movie star in the world". "I got the call saying 'Hey, you didn't get the role'. Look, I didn't even know if I had a shot for it, but the people around me at that time made me think that I did. I felt like I did, I felt like 'Why not me?'" he said.
Johnson one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood
"I'm positive that the role of Jack Reacher, because it was an established character, an IP that was well known and beloved around the world, that I wouldn't have had the creative space to do what I wanted with the character. I look back in gratitude that I didn't get Jack Reacher," he added.
Later, Johnson got a chance to essay the role of Luke Hobbs in the fifth installment of the "Fast & Furious" franchise. "The universe works in funny ways though, as when that door shut on me, another door opened with the opportunity to create a character from scratch that was of my DNA," he said.
Today, Johnson is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and has iconic films, including The Mummy Returns, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Hercules, Snitch, Moana, revamped Jumanji franchise and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, under his belt.
