Top 5 Behind the Scenes Secrets of Hobbs and Shaw

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson actually named his French bulldog Hobbs after his “Fast & Furious” character. So, it was only a matter of time until the feisty canine landed a role in the franchise. Upstaging the Rock is no easy feat, but Johnson admitted that Hobbs was an even more disciplined and professional actor than his owner. Along with Hobbs, Johnson also adopted his brother Brutus, who unfortunately passed away in 2015 after consuming a poisonous mushroom. We’re sure that Brutus would be proud of his awesome brother, who may be on his way to becoming Hollywood’s next Lassie.

The cast, filmmakers, and marketing team certainly did great job at keeping the movie’s biggest cameos under wraps. And while we won’t spoil you on a certain CIA agent who steals the show, the backstory behind Kevin Hart’s hysterical appearance is pretty surprising to say the least. Dwayne Johnson was responsible for enlisting Hart, his bestie and frequent co-star. During shooting, Hart was in the middle of his tour, which required him to be in a different city every night. Hart took the time out of his busy schedule, though, to fly from Houston to London and film his hilarious scene.

The “Fast & Furious” crew have gone up against some pretty over-the-top bad guys, but Brixton Lore is basically a super villain. As the cybernetically-modified terrorist puts it, he’s Black Superman! In the script, Brixton was originally supposed to compare himself to a Black James Bond. This was of course a reference to the rumors/wishful thinking that actor Idris Elba might take up mantle of 007 after Daniel Craig retires from the role. Elba, however, felt this in-joke was “too close to what everybody’s talking about.” The actor was thus given free rein to improvise a new line on the spot, which became one of his character’s defining moments.

Johnson’s real-life mother, Ata Maivia, repeatedly asked if she could play Hobbs’ mom in the film. Since she wasn’t exactly an actress, though, the role ultimately went to Lori Pelenise Tuisano. Johnson does star alongside one of his family members, however. Former WWE champion Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa'i makes his feature film debut as Mateo Hobbs, one of Luke’s estranged brothers. Their background in professional wrestling, Samoan ancestry, and tribal tattoos aren’t the only things that Johnson and Reigns have in common. While not biologically related, Johnson is considered an honorary member of the Anoa'I family, making him Reigns’ first cousin once-removed. Johnson has high hopes for Reigns’ future in movies, assuming he doesn’t accidentally throw another prop at a cameraman.

Seeing how “Hobbs & Shaw” is all about family, it’s fitting that Johnson would pay homage to one of his relatives, albeit in a very unconventional way. In a deleted scene, Hobbs bites into an enemy’s face during the film’s climatic showdown, which practically moved Johnson’s mother to tears off set. While that might sound strange, this moment carries a deeper meaning. Johnson’s maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, helped popularize Samoan wrestling. Touring in Japan, a restaurant brawl broke out between Maivia and a fellow wrestler. After the two men tumbled through glass, the other wrestler nearly dropped Maivia on his head. To defend himself, Maivia retaliated by biting his opponent’s eye out. Johnson’s face-biting scene is a direct tribute to his grandfather, making for an unusually touching moment.