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Dwayne Johnson reveals he was turned down for Jack Reacher

April 15, 2020 by EJ Moreno

During a Facebook live stream, Dwayne Johnson opened up about losing out on the chance to play the role of Jack Reacher, the protagonist of Lee Child’s bestselling book series, and a role that would ultimately go to Tom Cruise in 2012.

“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 color, 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 bitch that they’ve been created and designed for me — except Jack Reacher,” said Dwayne Johnson

Johnson would go on to explain, “Now, this was ten years ago, and I was in a much different place, I recognize that Tom was the biggest movie star in the world, and I was not.”

Johnson, the wrestler-turned-actor, felt in many ways he was perfect for the part. The physical attributes line-up as they share similar heights and weights, 6′ 4″, and 280 lbs. Also, Johnson said both him and the Jack Reacher role were ‘bad dudes.’

“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 continued in his Facebook video.

SEE ALSO: Dwayne Johnson teases new characters for Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw sequel

Do you think Dwayne Johnson would have been a better vhoice for the role in Jack Reacher rather than Tom Cruise? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or by reaching out to us via social media @FlickeringMyth…

Filed Under: EJ Moreno, Movies, News Tagged With: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Reacher, Tom Cruise

About EJ Moreno

EJ Moreno is a film and television critic and entertainment writer who joined the pop culture website Flickering Myth in 2018 and now serves as the executive producer of Flickering Myth TV, a YouTube channel with over 27,000 subscribers. With over a decade of experience, he is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who is also part of the Critics Choice Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

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