'Ballers' Season 5: London Brown on why Dwayne Johnson is a real-life superhero and the happiness Reggie brings
After the phenomenal success of 'Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw', fans of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson are waiting on tenterhooks to see the superstar suit up for DC’s ‘Black Adam’ movie, which is expected to arrive sometime in 2021. Despite the casting, people online continue to fight over what superhero role Johnson would be perfect for but London Brown, the Rock's co-star on the HBO series ‘Ballers’, doesn't think the former wrestler needs a cape to be a hero.
Speaking to MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) in an exclusive interview, Brown suggested the Rock is already a real-life superhero who is essentially a cross between the Hulk and Superman. “If I was going to go off just his gym regimen, I would say the Hulk but I don't think he’s got that kind of temper,” Brown said. “So, it would kind of be a cross between two, which will probably be something like the Hulk because Dwayne is so massive but Superman because Dwayne, he's a kind guy so I can see Dwayne saving (people).”
“I joke about all the time in these interviews how I forget how big of a deal Dwayne is,” Brown explained further. “When I talk to Dwayne on set, it’s usually one-on-one and it's a very personal situation. So we talk and we talk about family, different things. And then when we wrap at the end of the day, two hours later, he's in Japan or in New Zealand somewhere doing the press premiere in front of 4 million people. The guy's incredible! He’s saved cats from burning buildings. He can change a diaper. I mean he can land a helicopter that's on fire and he gets out; in the most he has might be a scratch, maybe. He's like a superhero in real life without the cape. I'm like, ‘Who is this guy?’”
That’s an idea ‘Avengers: Endgame’ co-director Anthony Russo had already expressed once during The MTV Movie and TV Awards when he said he would want Johnson to play himself if he ever made his way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Working on the show with the Rock, Brown had to work extra hard to make sure he wasn't overshadowed by the superstar.
In a way, the actor is glad people initially hated his character Reggie before coming to love him in more recent seasons, specifically because being the antagonist helped him stand out. “I think that for me it's been great because by me being the antagonist, it was a great introduction to followers of HBO of who I was because I don't think people had any real idea,” he said.
“Well, I know they didn't know who I was before ‘Ballers’ and so by playing the antagonist -- and all my scenes in season one were across Dwayne -- so it helps grab the attention that I needed so that people can follow me throughout the season. And so, the fact that people have been upset with Reggie but now they like Reggie is season 5 is good because it means that people are emotionally invested in here and that's a good thing for me,” Brown said.
Season 5 of ‘Ballers’ may be yet to air but Brown is looking forward to doing as many seasons as possible with the show, though he admits it all comes down to Johnson’s schedule.
“If it went on to a season 6 and 7, that would be awesome for me,” he said. “I would love that. I think it really just depends on Dwayne’s schedule like Dwayne is so busy. I don't really know where he is with all of this. But I mean if we can get Season 7, honestly, that would be more than I could have asked for and the fans seem to love it, So hopefully, if Dwayne can find time in his schedule to do it and the other actors can do it, I'm definitely down because I enjoy the show.”
‘Ballers’ season 5 will be airing exclusively on HBO starting August 25.