https://youtu.be/MMGdV2RehDk
Can you smell… what The Rock is cooking? Or more likely, what his mother is cooking, as a trailer arrives, for ‘Young Rock’, a new NBC comedy based on the early life of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – and before anyone asks, no, there isn’t a UK broadcaster yet.
Every legend has a beginning. From growing up in a strong and resilient family, to being surrounded by the wild characters of his professional wrestling family, to playing football at the University of Miami, ‘Young Rock’ explores the crazy rollercoaster that has shaped Dwayne into the man he is today and the larger-than-life characters he’s met along the way.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson bookends this larger-than-life family comedy based on outrageous stories of his youth. The coming-of-age journey highlights the unforgettable moments and incredible relationships that took Dwayne from ordinary kid to extraordinary superstar – revealing he’s more like us than we know.
The show follows Dwayne’s life from aged 10 to his early 20s, with different actors taking on the task of being Dwayne at various ages. Adrian Groulx(‘The Adventures of Napkin Man!’) plays Dwayne Johnson (AKA Dewey), Age 10. He’s honest, headstrong, impressionable and bold; Bradley Constant (‘Following Phil’) plays Dwayne Johnson, Age 15. He’s doing his best to fit in as a normal teenager… but puberty has other ideas. As you can see in the trailer, due to his size and a full moustache, his classmates are convinced he’s an undercover cop; Uli Latukefu (‘Harrow’, ‘Marco Polo’) plays Dwayne Johnson, Age 18-20. Has just been recruited to play football on a full scholarship at the powerhouse University of Miami. Though a superstar talent, a devastating injury his freshman year puts his life at a crossroads.
In addition to the various… “Rocks Of Ages”… Stacey Leilua plays Ata Johnson, Dwayne’s mother who grew up in a first-generation pro wrestling family. She’s a strong woman, both by nature and necessity, she’s a hopeful positive force in young Dwayne’s life; Joseph Lee Anderson (‘Harriet’, ‘S.W.A.T.’) plays Rocky Johnson, Dwayne’s father, a charismatic and charming, the pro wrestling champion juggles the ups and downs of his career with being a well-intentioned, but unorthodox, husband and father; And Ana Tuisila plays Lia Maivia, Ata’s mother and Dwayne’s grandmother. The first female pro-wrestling promoter in the country. A sweet loving grandmother and, when need be, a cutthroat, ruthless businesswoman.
The series is co-written by Nahnatchka Khan and Jeff Chiang (‘Fresh Off the Boat’, ‘American Dad!’), who exec produce with Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz and Jennifer Carreras. Jeffrey Walker serves as producer-director/co-EP. Universal Television, Seven Bucks Productions and Fierce Baby Productions will produce. Whilst not taking on an acting role, Johnson will appear in each episode as the focus and inspiration of the series about his formative years.
‘Young Rock‘ Season 1 will premiere in February 16, 2021, at 8/7c on NBC in the USA. There is no news on a UK broadcaster yet (although I would be extremely surprised if it doesn’t end up on Sky Comedy), but we’ll let you know when we hear something official.
