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Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Entertainment
Dirk Libbey

Why Gene Wilder Was Dwayne Johnson's First 'Cinematic Crush'

Dwayne Johnson looking shocked in Jumanji/Gene Wilder smiling as Willy Wonka.

Anybody who has become enamored with film has had those actors who became early influences, i.e. an actor with a particular talent that memorably impressed us. While one might assume the first actor to hold that position for Dwayne Johnson was some major action hero, the Smashing Machine star recently revealed it was comedian Gene Wilder, who passed away in 2016.

Speaking with W magazine, Dwayne Johnson was asked who his first “cinematic crush” was, and while most would likely name a performer they found physically attractive if asked that question, Johnson actually called out Wilder, who Johnson says he first saw appearing alongside another early hero. He said…

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