Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson finds himself in the midst of controversy centered about his punctuality, or lack thereof, on movie sets.
Recent reports have surfaced accusing Johnson of habitual tardiness, with allegations suggesting that his lateness has cost one movie studio a staggering $50 million, according to TheWrap.
Insiders say Johnson, who has an estimated net worth of $800 million, has a habit of holding up production. The incident reportedly occurred during the production of the highly anticipated Amazon MGM Studios film, “Red One,” which was slated for release during the Christmas season of 2023 but has now been pushed to November 2024.
The Rock and His Lateness Rep
According to insiders from the set, Johnson’s chronic tardiness became a significant point of concern during the filming of “Red One.”
“The only thing Dwayne was consistent at was being chronically late,” said one source from the set of “Red One” told TheWrap.
Sources claim that he would arrive on set approximately seven to eight hours late on average and, in some instances, even missed entire days of production. This delay allegedly resulted in significant financial losses for the studio, forcing the production crew to shoot around Johnson on the days he failed to show up.
Every minute of delay can translate into significant financial losses for film studios and investors. In an industry where time is quite literally money, punctuality is paramount.
The film is budgeted at $250 million, but, according to RadarOnline, Johnson’s lateness has caused the film to go way over budget. “It is completely normal for there to be budget fluctuations within 15 percent of the target, which is exactly what we experienced,” the source explained.
Representatives for Johnson and the studio have vehemently denied these allegations, stating that Johnson has been nothing but a consummate professional throughout the production of “Red One.”
The rep added, “Any reporting that implies that we got to this point with him showing up 7-8 hours late to set is both ridiculous and false.”
This isn’t the first time Johnson’s punctuality—or lack thereof—has come under scrutiny. Past reports have surfaced alleging similar incidents on other film sets, including his highly publicized feud with Vin Diesel during the filming of the “Fast & Furious” franchise films.
When filming the 2021 Netflix film “Red Notice” Johnson’s tardiness is rumored to have upset co-star Ryan Reynolds so much they had a heated argument following a five-hour wait for Johnson to be ready to film, TheWrap reported. Again, studio reps denied it.
“Dwayne is the consummate professional and we’re thrilled to have worked with him on Red Notice, our #1 film,” a Amazon MGM Studios spokesperson told TheWrap.
During the production of 2018’s “Rampage,” Johnson reportedly arrived late to set on average four to five hours daily, as noted by one of his co-stars who kept records of his tardiness. According to insiders, Johnson’s call times were not included on the official call sheet to prevent scrutiny.
Late For Other Events
It’s not only films that The Rock seems to be late for. He was reportedly three hours late arriving ahead of his main event match at WrestleMania 40, TheWrap reported. For WWE World, a WWE fan event in Philadelphia leading up to WrestleMania 40, Johnson showed up two hours behind schedule, drawing boos from the crowd, various local Philadelphia press reported. The lateness was blamed on other WWE commitments and traffic. Earlier this year, Johnson was officially appointed to TKO Group Holdings’ Board of Directors. TKO is the parent company of WWE.
Between his WWE responsibilities, his movie career, posting to keep up having one of the top celeb social media accounts on Instagram, and now running his new men’s skincare line, Papatui, maybe The Rock had overloaded his schedule.
