Photo Credit: © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Dwayne Johnson was so sure Emily Blunt would make the perfect Jungle Cruise co-star he pulled out all the stops to convince her – before she had even read the script.
The actor, who plays wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff in the new Disney adventure film, recorded a video about why he wanted Blunt in the film. He sent it along with director Jaume Collet-Serra, who was flying to New York City to meet Blunt and hand deliver the script.
“In the video I said, ‘Emily you are the only one who can do this movie’ and she was very touched,” says Johnson during a virtual press conference for the film.
“I was very touched,” says Blunt who jokes Johnson did come on a little strong.
“Just tone it down ... back it up a little bit,” she adds with a laugh. “I needed to read the script.”
But Blunt loved the video. She also loved the idea of playing headstrong researcher Dr. Lily Houghton and accepted the role. When she and Johnson finally met, there was instant chemistry.
“We were pals for life immediately,” says Blunt. “I knew when we met, we had this rapport that like ping-ponged back and forth so quickly and I just thought, ‘We’re going to have a good time.’ I knew it.”
Johnson, who is also a producer on the film, wholeheartedly agrees.
“It’s very true. You hope to get lucky with your cast and you like to try to have some chemistry. Emily and I have been talking a lot about chemistry these past couple of weeks doing press, and a lot of times ... you fake it, because you’re acting,” says Dwayne, who insists the chemistry between him and Blunt was all real.
In the new film now playing in Cineplex Theatres, Blunt’s character Lily is on a quest to uncover the mystery of an ancient tribal artifact and find a magical tree with healing powers. To transport her down the Amazon River, she enlists the help of riverboat captain Frank, who makes no guarantees he’ll bring her back alive. Along with Lily’s brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall), the trio must find a way to survive dangerous rapids, wild animals and villainous threats from Captain Aguirre (Edgar Ramírez), Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons) and Nilo (Paul Giamatti).
As well as their excitement over working together, both Johnson and Blunt were drawn to the idea of bringing Disney’s classic theme-park attraction to life on the big screen. The ride has been a mainstay at Disneyland Park since it first opened in Anaheim, California in 1955 and was later included in other parks including Florida’s Walt Disney World. Johnson has many fond memories of the ride from both parks.
“I’d ridden the ride when I was a kid. Many moons later I went to Disney World for the first time and rode the ride then, too, as well so it had a nostalgic element to it when it was first presented to me. But also, really the opportunity that we had that we could create something that was hopefully unique and special,” he says.
While Blunt rode the Jungle Cruise ride for the first time at the film’s July 24th Disneyland premiere, she was taken by the idea of being part of an adventure film like the ones she loved as a kid.
“I just loved Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, The African Queen, they are just joy bombs, they’re nostalgic, and I think we just needed to pierce people’s hearts directly with the spirit of those films we all loved as children,” says Blunt.
But with all the action, adventure and supernatural elements of Jungle Cruise, Blunt says what is at the heart of this epic film is love.
She recalls asking the director at that first meeting what he thought the movie was about, something she asks every filmmaker before she’s about to sign on.
“He goes, ‘You know it’s about love’ and it was so perfect because you could’ve talked about all the action and the spectacle and the legends and all that but that’s when I knew in Jaume we had an innate romantic and a world-builder and that’s what you need for this type of movie,” she says.
See Jungle Cruise now playing in Cineplex Theatres.