Summary:
- The Wrap reported that Dwayne Johnson was criticized for unprofessional behavior while filming Red One.
- The G.I Joe star is reported for being constantly late to the filming scene, resulting in a massive budget increase and management crisis.
- Johnson is also accused of his tardiness while filming the Fast and Furious franchise and several other cinematic projects.
It seems the set of Dwayne Johnson’s holiday action film, Red One, wasn’t all festive and Christmas-y. Reports are surfacing about the star’s allegedly unprofessional behavior during the shoot, which contrasts sharply with his public persona as a committed and hardworking actor.
Known for his wrestling alter ego and roles in major blockbusters, Johnson typically promotes himself as “the hardest worker in the room.” However, according to a detailed report by The Wrap, Johnson’s conduct during the filming of Red One tells a different story.
Sources close to the production disclosed that Johnson was frequently late to the set, sometimes by up to eight hours.
“The only thing Dwayne was consistent at was being chronically late. It was a fcking disaster…Dwayne truly doesn’t give a f*ck,” one source expressed.
This pattern of unusual tardiness reportedly led to reduced working hours throughout the film’s principal shooting phase from October 2022 to February 2023. An insider commented on the impact of his abbreviated days, saying, “It’s his absolute refusal to work more than a four or five-hour day.”
This behavior apparently caused the budget for Red One, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, to balloon to an astonishing $250 million, which is $50 million more than the intended numbers. While Amazon and MGM have refuted claims that the film exceeded its budget, insiders defended Johnson, noting that he was only about an hour late on some days at worst.
Moreover, Red One isn’t the only film in which The Rock was criticized for his tardiness. The actor was also accused of being late several times while shooting the Fast and Furious franchise, causing significant budget increases and management problems.
And to add fuel (or in this case body waste) to the fire, DiscussingFilm even reports that Johnson even “pees in a bottle” to save time instead of going to the toilet, which doesn’t really make sense if he turns up 7-8 hours late to the filming scene. Additionally, this action by the Jumanji star also makes his co-star and other staff extremely uncomfortable.
The Rock was allegedly constantly 7-8 hours late to work on his new film ‘RED ONE’, which caused costs of around $50M
People who previously worked with The Rock say he pees into water bottles to save time, which has upset crew members.
(Source: https://t.co/C1sdGJenKp) pic.twitter.com/WDGEEKsEch
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2024
The Internet, obviously, has a field day with this bizarre piece of information.
when you’re working with The Rock on his new film and you accidentally grab the wrong water bottle: pic.twitter.com/qCbODEGpyk
— Degenerate George (@DGen_Media) April 30, 2024
Past collaborators from projects like Rampage, HBO’s Ballers, and Netflix’s Red Notice also echoed the sentiment about Johnson’s punctuality issues affecting production schedules. A crew member from Ballers humorously noted that Johnson’s late starts helped the crew qualify for health insurance due to the extended hours on set.
Originally slated for release last holiday season, Red One has been postponed to this November, partly due to delays from the SAG-AFTRA strike. The film, featuring a star-studded cast that includes Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Lucy Liu, presents Johnson in a story about a villain who kidnaps Santa Claus. This prompts a massive E.L.F.(Extremely Large and Formidable) operative and a bounty hunter to collaborate in a bid to rescue Santa, and Christmas as a whole.
Despite the setbacks and rumored set behavior, Johnson reportedly earned a whopping $50 million for his role alone.
Despite the controversies, footage of Red One was previewed to a select group of journalists at CinemaCon, though specifics remain under wraps. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on November 15.
