*It would be surprising to hear about strife behind the scenes of “Central Intelligence” down the pipe because off-screen Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are like two peas in a pod off screen. “Kevin introduced me to his dad on set for the first time,” Johnson told me, “but I felt like I knew his dad because I love Kevin’s bits. I have all his comedy downloaded and he has a lot of bits about his dad, so I couldn’t wait to meet his dad.”
They both agreed it was a joy working together:
KEVEN HART: One thing that I want everybody to understand that is so important, there were no egos. I came onto the set knowing where D.J. was in his career and I celebrated that. I was excited to work with him, vice versa. The fact that there were no egos and we approached those days with 110 percent made it that much easier, and I think it shows in the movie. The hard moments were hard moments because we were able to get there through the work that we put in beforehand.
DWAYNE JOHNSON: You know that’s right what Kevin is talking about because we’re all in the business, so when you’re making these movies and there’s a lot of stars, there’s a lot of egos and a lot of things you deal with and manage. Oftentimes, it’s not always this easy. By the way, it’s never this easy. But Kevin and Rawson really just made it a very nice, easy, comfortable environment where you just go and play and have fun.
I know I asked you both about bullying earlier, but there is another lesson to be learned here?
KH: It’s weird in high school those people that you look at that are just so amazing and everything just seems to be so right, but when you meet those people again as adults, I find that what’s going on is like it is with our characters, in a real situation. They may not be as happy as they feel that they should be because they didn’t get the success that they felt that they were going to get.
I think the overall message that we’re giving in this film is, regardless of where you are and who you are, be happy with [yourself]. At the end of the day there’s happiness in everything, and that’s what these two characters have to realize and find within themselves. I’m hoping that people in real life can get that same message, and understand that because it is an important message.
DW: By the way, that was the exact sentiment and message that I remember expressing in the first conversation with Rawson [Director/screenwriter Marshall Thurber] even before the three of us actually got together and sat down face to face. It’s about embracing who you are and really understanding the blessings you truly do have. Oftentimes we can lose focus of that because this treadmill of life we’re on is so fast. Sometimes you have to take a moment where you slow down and just look around.
Syndicated Entertainment journalist Marie Moore reports on film and TV from her New York City base. Contact her at [email protected]
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