Dwayne Johnson, after being made aware that his form while running across a 2018 film set looked dangerously close to Tom Cruise’s, took immediately to social media to not only take a sly dig at his fellow actor but also make it clear, once and for all, why he absolutely does not – and never will – run like Cruise.

In recent years, with the Mission: Impossible films only getting more impossible with each installment, the “Tom Cruise run” has also earned the opportunity to be more famous with each of its filmed demonstrations. But despite how the Top Gun actor’s running style has become a subject for the audience’s side laughs to keep them occupied after each Cruise premiere, it is nothing but a deadly serious topic for this one particular fellow A-lister of the industry.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson Takes a Dig at Tom Cruise’s Running Style

Despite the universal love and respect for Tom Cruise, no one – including Dwayne Johnson – has ever taken it easy on the actor while trolling him about his running style in the movies. While filming the 2018 film, Rampage, Dwayne Johnson made it abundantly clear that his running style in films will never be the same as Cruise’s, and the reasoning behind his unique decision is a hilariously well-theorized and researched argument.

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Claiming that “Cruise runs like 6 o’clock” where he looks like “an offensive player running for the end zone,” The Rock points out that his running style is more like that of “a defensive headhunter” with a “forward lean, stride long, arms open and pumping.” Johnson then goes on to state:

“This running form is also called, “get me the fuck outta here because there’s a genetically modified 50 TON BEAST that’s trying to eat me and all I wanted to do is just want to go home and have tequila and waffles.””

A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

One of the numerous strange and endearing quirks that makes Hollywood a place of familiarity is the inside jokes and the host of A-listers that are subjected to them by the audience. The “Tom Cruise run” is one of the few constants that manage to get a laugh or two and it’s Dwayne Johnson’s subtle take on the subject that lets the fans know that the industry insiders too get a kick out of the same things that manage to fascinate their audience. Moreover, publicly trolling Cruise must have also settled an old score for The Rock after losing the much-coveted Jack Reacher role to him in 2012.

Also read: Tom Cruise Refused To Star Alongside Dwayne Johnson in Red Notice Because They Wouldn’t Pay Him as Much as The Rock

Dwayne Johnson Trolls Himself While Filming Rampage

Tom Cruise, one of the biggest movie stars that Hollywood has ever seen and the person who is being constantly credited with singlehandedly saving the theatrical distribution business, knows how to take a criticism or two. And his not addressing the audience’s fascination with his idiosyncratic run gives the fans more leeway to bite into the subject without the fear of repercussions. So, while trolling him must have been fun for Dwayne Johnson, there’s nothing quite like taking a dig at oneself to liven up the atmosphere and humor fellow cast members, the crew, and of course, the fans.

Dwayne Johnson in Rampage

Also read: Dwayne Johnson’s Horrific Injury Forced Doctors To Reconstruct His Entire Shoulder Before He Bought $15M XFL Franchise

While acknowledging Brad Peyton’s work on Rampage and cheering him on, Dwayne Johnson wrote about his special relationship with the director and how it extends across three movies over the past decade, including Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), San Andreas (2015), and Rampage (2018). He spoke about sharing the same philosophy with the director about working hard and “[taking] the world on an unforgettable and fun ride with our movies.” But at the same time, the actor also pokes fun at himself by claiming that the Guy on the right [Brad Peyton] is my friend and a good egg” whereas “Guy on the left [The Rock] … lazy asshole.”

Rampage is adapted from an eponymous video game and managed to score a decent collection at the box office. The film, starring big names like Naomie Harris and Malin Åckerman, currently holds a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and hauled in $428 million across theatres worldwide. Rampage is available for streaming on Apple TV+ and Hulu.

Source: Instagram | Dwayne Johnson