Prepare to smell whatThe Rockand NBC have been cooking up.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Take me back to the beginning ofYoung Rock.
How did the show come about, and how did you get involved?
Frank Masi/NBC
What was your relationship to the Rock, pre-Young Rock?
Were you a big fan?
Like were you watching all theFast & Furiousmovies?
Definitely a huge fan of his.
I thought he was really funny and surprising.
Loved him inJumanjiand Jake and Melvin spoke so highly of him, so definitely a fan.
Mark Taylor/NBC
And I can say even more of a fan now having worked with him.
He’s such a great guy and so collaborative and open and really down for anything.
Is that what happened, and, if so, what was that like?
Uli Latukefu in ‘Young Rock’.Mark Taylor/NBC
What was the casting like for these three Dwaynes?
It’s exactly like you said, it was a global casting search.
It was like trying to find three needles in three haystacks.
Frank Masi/NBC
How did you arrive at that and use it to bring all these stories together?
And, luckily, Dwayne was 100 percent in.
He got it immediately and was down for it.
Frank Masi/NBC
But this one is so unique in that you have these four timelines and need some thread throughout them.
What’s it been like trying to balance that puzzle?
And when you think of broadcast web connection comedies, you don’t necessarily think serialized.
Mark Taylor/NBC
There are so many.
To me, I’m like, “Okay!”
[Laughs] I’d really love to dive into that.
And we’re not even talking about his movie career yet.
He’s like Forrest Gump.
[Laughs] He’s been involved in so many times and with so many people.
There are so many stories to tell.
Going back to the presidential timeline, you’vereunited with yourFresh Off the Boatstar Randall Park.
What excited you about getting back together with Randall and this funny little spin?
And I’m like, “That’s so funny.
Yes, 1,000 percent, yes.”
Randall, to me, is a comedic genius.
I’m so happy to work with him for the rest of my life if I could.
How would you describe her on this show and the character she plays?
I was so happy to work with her.
Rosario leaned in 100 percent.
She’s super committed to the role and just so funny.
Another casting challenge that those guys just killed.
Should we expect more of that, and maybe even some more famous faces from Dwayne’s life?
All these guys were there and we’re going to see them throughout the season.
And Uncle Luke from 2 Live Crew who was a de facto Hurricane.
Young Rockpremieres Tuesday at 8 p.m.
