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As part of their yearly “Actors on Actors” series, Variety paired Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Brendan Fraser for a conversation this year — The Rock starring in The Smashing Machine while Fraser featured in Rental Family — which naturally began with a conversation about The Mummy.
Following the release of The Mummy in 1999, Brendan Fraser became one of the biggest blockbusters stars in the world, leading to the fast-tracking of a sequel that would release just two years later in 2001, The Mummy Returns.
While not as well-received as its predecessor, The Mummy Returns occupies an interesting niche in cinema history as it marked the first ever film performance from Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who would then go on to become one of the biggest actors — and celebrities, in general — in the world.
Before the pair got into the thick of their conversation, The Rock made sure to open the discussion by giving Fraser “his flowers” and thanking him for “changing his life.”
The Rock heartwarmingly thanked Brendan Fraser for “changing his life” by agreeing to his casting as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns
“I’d love to start off our conversation by giving you flowers. OK? I’m going to deliver a lot of flowers to your doorstep right now. You and I first connected on The Mummy Returns,” The Rock began their conversation.
“That was one of the biggest franchises in the world at that time. I was ready to make my transition into Hollywood. And there was a moment where you could have said, ‘This guy, Dwayne Johnson, he’s never acted before; he’s in pro wrestling.’ The word I got back was, ‘Brendan loves the idea. He welcomed you with open arms.’ It meant something to me, because you took a risk on me, and years later, you and I are sitting here. I want to thank you for really changing my life.”
Fraser was equally as cordial in his reply, telling The Rock that he knew he was the guy for the job as soon as he saw a clip of him doing his thing with the then-WWF, calling it “inspired casting.”
“You’re too kind, Dwayne. You were always the right guy for the job. When I was told that you were a possibility for it, forgive me, but I didn’t know you from the wrestling world,” Fraser replied.
“And when I was shown, I said, ‘That is inspired casting. We’d be lucky to get the guy.’ You need a stadium persona to play a villain you love to hate. It’s going to take a lot of confidence and belief. In the wrestling world, you were painting with a 10-inch brush — you need to have big energy. And your paintings are getting better all the time. I’ve seen The Smashing Machine.”
#DwayneJohnson thanks #BrendanFraser for rallying behind his casting as the Scorpion King in #TheMummyReturns:
“You took a risk on me, and years later, you and I are sitting here. I want to thank you for really changing my life.”
Watch the full #ActorsOnActors video now on the… pic.twitter.com/qSFDn10FvR
— Variety (@Variety) December 8, 2025
Know what, this is wholesome as hell. https://t.co/nDvchFWk09
— Vic Damone Jr (@wholesomefoxx) December 8, 2025
Back in November, it was reported that bother Fraser and his Academy Award-winning co-star Rachel Weisz would be returning for a fourth film in the franchise, with Fraser saying he’s been waiting “20 years” to make this movie and give the fans “what they want.”
The full “Actors on Actors” conversation between the Oscar-winning Fraser and Johnson will be released on Variety’s YouTube page on Monday, December 8 at 3 p.m. EST. In addition to Fraser and Johnson, the other “Actors on Actors” conversations that have bee released so far this year are Adam Sandler and Ariana Grande, Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, and Jonathan Bailey and David Corenswet.