How Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Made Me A Better Artist
I love action movies.
Yes, yes I do. And I have zero shame about this fact.
I’m sure some of it is due to my working in the creation of ‘authentic truth’ in theatre and so, in my off hours, I’ll happily embrace the implausible and the spectacular.
And I’m sure some of it is due to my being a heterosexual woman who enjoys watching the ageless Tom Cruise look intensely handsome as he flings himself out of an airplane or the smouldering Daniel Craig look ridiculously sexy as he walks away from an exploding building.
And of course, some of it is due to the fact that some of my fondest ‘movie memories’ from growing up were watching action movies with my father and my brother. (I still remember my brother carefully renting a VHS copy of A View To A Kill and him telling me: “This is a James Bond film. I think you’ll like it.”)
Whatever the reasons, I love them and I watch and rewatch them all the damn time!
When I first saw The Scorpion King, I had zero clue as to who The Rock was. My understanding of the wrestling world then, and now, is extremely limited. But I did know charm and amazing action when I saw it and I was hooked. I went back to the theatre two days later to watch the movie again, and then again a few days after that.
But it wasn’t until I bought a copy of the film on DVD and watched it with commentary by ‘Dwayne The Rock Johnson’ that I officially became a fan. (If you like The Scorpion King, I highly recommend watching it with Mr Johnson’s commentary - it’s hilarious and humble and insightful.)
I became a fan because Mr. Johnson was so honest about his lack of experience and his determination to work hard and earn his audience’s trust. And consequently, I started to read about him whenever I spotted him in an article, back when magazines where our main connection to celebrities.
Of course, ALL of that was before social media and now I have the ease of connecting with The Rock on Instagram and absorbing what he has to share.
One of the first things he said, and continues to say all the time, that made me a better Artist is this: “Be the hardest worker in the room.”
Be the hardest worker in the room.
When I had a studio, and was teaching a large number of students every week, sometimes a group of them would ask me who my favourite student was and I would always reply: “Whoever’s working the hardest right now.”
When I think about the thousands of Artists I’ve worked with over the years, I can tell you without hesitation that the ones who impressed me, the ones I made a point of working with again, the ones I admired the most, were the Artists who worked the hardest.
They were the ones who showed up at least half an hour before they were expected to be in the room.
They were the ones who actually went home and researched the show you mentioned they should know.
They were the ones who memorized their repertoire immediately.
I continue to shake my head at Artists who continually seek the ‘magic pill’, the ‘shortcut’ to achieving their artistic goals.
There is no magic pill or shortcut that will work long term. There is only the work.
And if you’re the hardest worker in the room, it will take you farther than any glad handing, fancy footwork or dazzling improv’ing ever will.
Get organized.
Show up early.
Plan ahead.
And practise, practise, practise. And repeat.
Arnold Schwarzenegger says: “There is no magic pill. There are no shortcuts. To be your best, you're going to have to work your butt off.”
Be the hardest working Artist in the room. You will be remembered and respected for it.
And that will most definitely lead to more opportunities.
Early on in my career, I used to cast roles and choose collaborators solely based on talent.
Now I make all casting and collaborator choices based on work ethic. Period.
Sometimes I wonder if in his various businesses, Mr. Johnson does the same thing.
I’m Marion Abbott and I will continually strive to be the hardest worker in the room.