WWE Legend and Hollywood Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson recalls advice he received from Vince McMahon on how to be a babyface.
The Rock is one of the most popular stars to have come out of the WWE. Crowds around the world cheer in unison every time his music plays. However, that wasn’t always the case. The Great One used to get booed out of the building before winning the fans over.
Also read: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Once Admitted That That Wrestling Was Fake!
Debuting as a white meat babyface, The Rock used to be known as Rocky Maivia. A cheerful babyface, who the crowd hated almost instantly. During an interview with “The New York Times,” The Rock spoke about the advice he received from Vince McMahon and how he couldn’t wait to turn heel.
The Rock recalls advice from Vince McMahon on how to be a babyface
The Brahma Bull talked about how Vince McMahon wanted him to smile as much as possible. The then WWE Chairman wanted the Rock to act grateful to be there. However, he was booed everywhere and had to bear it despite all and he felt like the heel turn couldn’t come soon enough.
“‘You can’t smile enough.’ Vince McMahon told me that. ‘You have to go out there and be grateful to be here,’” The Rock recalled. “I was booed in every arena across the country. So, I did have to withstand that kind of vitriol.”
From Rocky Maivia to The Rock
Following negative reactions from the crowd, Vince McMahon decided to turn the third-generation wrestler into a heel. He was placed in the Nation of Domination. The heel turn did wonders for the Rock. No longer under any shackles, he was free to showcase his abilities on the mic.
Soon enough he became one of the most popular acts on the roster. Unsurprisingly, he took over from Farooq as the leader of the Nation of Domination and eventually moved on to being a solo act.
The Rock would then begin the most iconic rivalry in WWE history against Stone Cold Steve Austin. The two headlined three WrestleMania’s together and have since established themselves as the two of the biggest acts ever in the history of not just WWE but in the whole of pro-wrestling.
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