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It didn't take long for the world to realize that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was the total package. From his earliest days in WWE, The Rock wowed fans with his stellar in-ring work and incredible promo ability. His staggering good looks certainly didn't hurt his rise to superstardom, either. One element of Johnson's talent that often gets overlooked is his smooth, definable voice. As Dwayne was climbing his way up the Hollywood ladder, he got to exercise his vocal talents by working on the Transformers series Prime.
The Rock Was Cast For A Transformers Animated Series
It's almost funny to think of one of the most prominent actors in the film industry doing a small vocal performance for a kids' show, but in 2010, Johnson was still far from the top of the box office mountain. Early in his acting career, fans could find The Great One in a plethora of fun cameos and supporting roles.
In Prime, The Rock dawned the role of Cliffjumper, one of the most beloved original Transformer characters. Dwayne had big shoes to fill; Casey Kasem voiced Cliffjumper in the original 1984 television series. But, as evidence has shown, The People's Champion never turns down a challenge.
The Rock's Run As Cliffjumper Was Short-Lived
As good as Dwayne Johnson's portrayal of Cliffjumper was, it was short-lived. In fact, his tenure on the show only lasted one episode - the pilot episode. The series opens with an exciting scene of Cliffjumper smashing an army of Decepticons. Shortly after that, his character was murdered by Starscream.
To the surprise of no one, The Rock's brief vocal performance in Prime is stellar. The show's creators must have had all the faith in the world, considering they chose to open their entire series with the wrestling superstar.
Cliffjumper would pop up later in the Prime series during a flashback, but Johnson wouldn't reprise his role. The character was recast with voice actor Billy Brown.
The Rock Almost Returned To The Transformers Franchise
In 2013, a mere three years after his role in Prime, The Rock was given the opportunity to return to Transformers. This time it wouldn't be for a children's animated show. Director Michael Bay offered Johnson the lead role in Transformers: Age Of Extinction. The director had recently worked with the actor on the film Pain and Gain, and clearly, The Rock made a great impression. Let it be known that making a good impression on Michael Bay is no easy task.
Unfortunately for Bay, The Rock was unable to accept the role. According to a tweet from Dwayne Johnson himself, he couldn't sign on due to his prior commitment to the film Hercules. Michael Bay opted to cast The Rock's Pain and Gain co-star Mark Wahlberg.
The Rock Became An Accomplished Voice Actor
Shortly after his work on Prime, Dwayne Johnson entered The Fast and the Furious franchise and began his meteoric rise to the top of the industry. As of this writing, The Rock is the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.
In addition to the numerous mega-blockbusters that he's starred in, The Rock continued his voice acting work. Some of his most notable vocal performances include the animated film Moana, and the DC animated film, Super Pets.
Over a decade removed, The Rock's cameo voice work in Prime stands as a fun Easter egg for both wrestling and Transformers fans. While the run was short, he served Cliffjumper well, as he certainly knew the role. Thankfully, he didn't shut his mouth.