Hawkman Actor Aldis Hodge Explains How Dwayne Johnson Pushes Him for Black Adam

While Black Adam's production and release are both in a limbo right now amid production delays [...]

By Russ Burlingame

While Black Adam's production and release are both in a limbo right now amid production delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hasn't stopped -- and arguably nothing can stop -- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson from hyping the project with intense workout videos posted to social media. And those videos, maybe unsurprisingly, are fuel for Aldis Hodge, the actor set to appear in the film as Hawkman. Hodge, best known for his role in Leverage, is a slim actor and has never sported the huge muscles that are Johsnon's stock in trade, but that doesn't mean he isn't trying to catch up at least a little bit.

Hodge has had nothing but praise for Johnson since it was officially announced that the pair would be working together on Black Adam. He told Variety in a new interview that the periodic updates from Johnson on social media have helped keep him motivated, even as it is still not clear when the film will begin production.

"It is not a game and the Rock is always throwing up videos on Instagram," Hodge told the trade. "Every time I see him I feel like he's gained 100 more pounds. And I'll just be up in the gym looking at myself with the little subtle flex and I'm not getting anything. Nothing is happening to me. It keeps me motivated because I'll be in the gym taking a minute on a bike or something like that, and then I see him in the gym all swole and I'm like, 'I must do better.'"

The film will center on Johnson's character, who is destined to become the greatest foe of Shazam.

"I had been very, very much looking forward to being a part of any kind of superhero universe," Hodge previously told THR. "I didn't care what it was for such a long time just because I had been such a fan. I grew up on graphic novels. I got into the business so I could earn money to buy Batman toys, you know? But as far as my pursuit of this kind of vehicle — for no particular character, but just any foot in the door — it had been many years. It was like 13 to 15 years of constantly going up to bat and getting told no.... So it really was a validation of those last few years of pursuit, hustle and preparation. And for me, it was a real moment of disbelief."

In addition to Hodge and Johnson, Black Adam will star Sarah Shahi and Noah Centineo, and will be directed by Jungle Cruise's Jaume Collet-Serra. The film was recently taken off of Warner Bros. official release calendar but production is still scheduled to take place this year.

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