The Rock is still promoting Skyscraper amid a disappointing box-office take — news that arrived after he filmed this conversation with Jamie Foxx as sponsored by Grey Goose Vodka for their Off Script platform. Still, the dude would have plenty to celebrate no matter the outcome for this film, so it’s nice to see him sit down and have a nice chat with Foxx about how it’s nice to be nice.
For real, and isn’t it refreshing, with all the ugliness and absurdity out there in the world, to see two stars speak to the value of enthused pleasantries as exchanged with fans? Foxx commends his pal while also asking The Rock why he goes so far to connect to the people, and here’s the answer that spilled forth from the People’s Champ:
“It’s the most important relationship I have … is with the people. ‘Cause I reached a point in my career [where] I was tired of trying to be something I wasn’t. So, I was told at that time, ‘Listen, you can’t talk about wrestling, you can’t go by The Rock, you can’t be as big … it was a lot of things like that. So finally, I reached a point where two things have to happen: (1) I’m going to surround myself with a different group of people, different management; (2) And then I’m gonna make sure that I just gotta be me.”
The conversation continues for several minutes with Fox feeling relieved that he didn’t wrongly introduce The Rock as Dwayne Johnson. His friend is fine with being referred to as either, but it’s clear that the people prefer the nickname, and that’s what The Rock feels is his most authentic label. The two also talk about rough times and politics, and The Rock makes it clear again that, nope, he’s not running for president in 2020. Oh, and the conversation kinda derails with Foxx wanting to learn how to apply a certain WWE catchphrase to his name, but hey, the rest of the talk is a pleasant diversion.
