Fraser called the decision to bring Johnson into the film “inspired casting.”

Brendan Fraser didn’t know who Dwayne Johnson was before The Mummy Returns

Fraser called the decision to bring Johnson into the film "inspired casting."

By Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2022. Her work has previously appeared on MTV News, Teen Vogue, and *NME*.

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December 8, 2025 1:51 p.m. ET

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Brendan Fraser poses with The Rock at the premiere of 'The Mummy Returns' at Universal City in Los Angeles in 2001. Credit:

LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty

Brendan Fraser didn’t need to know Dwayne Johnson personally to know he’d be a perfect fit in *The Mummy Returns. ***

The actor, who starred as fearless adventurer Rick O’Connell in the first three *Mummy* films, revealed that the wrestling superstar wasn’t on his radar until he was circling the role of the dreaded Scorpion King in the 2001 sequel. But once he was, Fraser was fully on board. **

“When I was told that you were a possibility for it, forgive me, but I didn’t know you from the wrestling world,” Fraser told Johnson on a recent installment of *Variety* and CNN's *Actors on Actors*. “And when I was shown, I said, ‘That is inspired casting. We’d be lucky to get the guy.’”

Dwayne Johnson in 'The Mummy Returns'.

Universal/ Courtesy Everett

The Oscar-winning actor added that Johnson’s larger-than-life “stadium persona” from his wrestling career was the key to creating a “villain you love to hate” in the film. **

“It’s going to take a lot of confidence and belief,” Fraser continued. “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.”

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*The Mummy Returns *was Johnson’s first leap from the ring to the silver screen. He has spoken often about his admiration for the film and its cast — particularly Fraser — over the last few years, but got a chance to tell it to his costar directly during their chat. **

“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,” he said. “You and I first connected on *The Mummy Returns*. That was one of the biggest franchises in the world at that time.”**

He continued, “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.’” **

Johnson said that Fraser’s confidence in him “meant something to me, because you took a risk on me, and years later, you and I are sitting here,” adding, “I want to thank you for really changing my life.”

In the years since, Johnson has headlined a whole host of his own action-adventure films, including *Jungle Cruise* and the *Jumanji* films. He has also starred as the demigod Maui in Disney’s *Moana* films, gotten behind the wheel in the *Fast & Furious* franchise, and became a superhero in DC’s *Black Adam*.

Brendan Fraser in 'The Mummy Returns'.

Keith Hamshere/Universal

While they may have technically worked together on *The Mummy Returns*, Fraser previously revealed that he and Johnson didn’t actually meet until a reception after the film was completed because Johnson's arachnid villain required heavy CGI.**

“We hadn't met in person before then, actually, although we were fighting onscreen,” he told *Variety* in 2022. “But every time I worked with him, he was just a piece of tape on a stick. So it was nice to go, 'Hey, man. How are ya? We finally meet!’”

And hey, with a fourth *Mummy* film in the works, maybe there's a chance Fraser's Rick and Johnson's Scorpion King could cross paths once again.

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