Dwayne Johnson Explained The Lengths He Went To In Order To Get Emily Blunt To Read The "Jungle Cruise" Script

That's certainly a...Blunt way to go about things.

Hot Topic

🔥 Full coverage and conversation on Disney

So, you might be aware that Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson are starring in the new Disney flick, Jungle Cruise, together.

Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images

However, it looks like Emily wasn't originally keen to sign on for the ride-inspired project — despite Dwayne's best attempts.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Dwayne said that he tried to convince Emily to take on the role back in 2017, when he was shooting Skyscraper. “I had always admired her as an actor, but also when I would watch her on talk shows, she had this personality that was effervescent, that was cool and very, very charming," he explained.

Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images

However, at the time, Emily was trying to take a break after filming Mary Poppins Returns and A Quiet Place and didn't want to read the script — even after she got a personal letter from Sean Bailey, aka the chief of Disney’s live-action studio.

Anthony Harvey / Getty Images

I honestly admire the willpower; I cave pretty much as soon as someone adds an extra "please."  

Hot Topic

Obsessed with all things Disney? Join our fan community where you'll find hot topic discussions, quizzes, movie news, and more!

See our Disney Discussions

The team began to up the ante, because the director then flew to New York to hand-deliver a script to Emily — and, upon his suggestion, a video of Dwayne asking for her to consider the role. “I must have shot it about five or six times because I had not communicated with Emily yet,” Dwayne added.

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

“I had not even met her. And I wanted to let her know via this video just how important she was to this movie and how I only wanted her in this movie. And it was great."

Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney

Oh, to be held in those beefy arms. 

Alas, it wasn't as simple as that: "I actually never heard again from Emily. Didn’t respond at all. Just ghosted me,” Dwayne added.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Emily explained her own side of the story by saying with a smile, “I thought the video was sweet. Didn’t know you were going to be so sensitive.”

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

As Emily said about their different personalities, “He said to me once, ‘I love that your debut was onstage with Dame Judi Dench and mine was in the wrestling ring cutting myself with razors.'"

Of course, Emily did eventually read the script after assurance from the director that it was going to be Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone.

Image Group La / The Walt Disney Company via Getty Images

Plus, The Rock and Emily are reportedly being paid $22 and $9 million dollars respectively. 

Anyway, if the Rock could help motivate me to do stuff via a personal pleading video, it would be much appreciated.

Hot Topic

🔥 Full coverage and conversation on Disney