The Rock accidentally knocked out Michael Clarke Duncan while filming their first fight scene together in The Scorpion King. Duncan, a trained actor but not a fighter, leaned forward instead of backward during an elbow sequence and took a direct hit to the jaw. After accidentally punching an older stuntman on the same film, The Rock felt so guilty he bought the man a custom Rolex—and once the story got out, he noticed other stuntmen mysteriously "leaning in closer" during fight scenes.
The Rock's Scorpion King Knockout Sparked a Rolex Problem
In 2002, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was making his leap from wrestling ring to movie screen. The Scorpion King was his first leading role, a spin-off from the Mummy franchise that would prove he could carry an action movie. But before he could conquer Hollywood, he had to get through one of the most intimidating fight scenes of his early career—and accidentally knocked out his co-star in the process.
When The People's Elbow Becomes The People's Problem
Michael Clarke Duncan was cast as Balthazar, the Nubian king who becomes an unlikely ally to Johnson's Mathayus. The two actors were already friends—Johnson had personally recommended Duncan for the role. But friendship wouldn't save Duncan from catching a very real elbow to the jaw.
The fight scene between them was Duncan's first-ever on-screen brawl. During a sequence where Johnson was throwing a series of elbows, Duncan made a rookie mistake: he leaned forward instead of backward. Johnson's elbow connected directly with his jaw, and the 6'5", 315-pound actor went down hard.
Duncan later tried to downplay the incident, claiming he'd only dropped to one knee. But director Chuck Russell confirmed the truth—Duncan was out cold. It became one of the most-talked-about moments from the production, immortalized in behind-the-scenes footage.
The Rolex Solution
Johnson had another accident on that same film involving an older stuntman during a punch sequence. The man took a full-force hit from someone who'd spent years perfecting the art of making fake punches look real in the WWE—except this one was accidentally genuine.
Feeling terrible, Johnson did what any guilt-ridden action star with a growing paycheck would do: he bought the stuntman a Rolex watch. It was an unexpectedly generous gesture that spoke to Johnson's character and his respect for the people who make actors look good on screen.
Then things got complicated.
The Unintended Consequences of Generosity
Johnson told the story years later on The Graham Norton Show, explaining what happened after word got out about his luxury apology gift. Suddenly, he noticed something strange on set:
- Stuntmen started positioning themselves closer during fight scenes
- Some seemed to be mysteriously "leaning in" toward his punches
- The hope of earning a free Rolex apparently outweighed the risk of a black eye
"I noticed stuntmen leaning in a little closer," Johnson admitted with a laugh. Host Graham Norton joked about whether he'd take a punch from The Rock for a free watch. His response? "No, no, I can tell the time right now."
The Bigger Picture
The incident says something genuine about Johnson's transition from wrestling to acting. In the WWE, he'd mastered the art of theatrical violence—making hits look devastating while keeping everyone safe. But film fighting is different. The angles, the timing, the way bodies move for cameras rather than live audiences—it's a new skill set.
That he responded to his mistakes with accountability and generosity rather than excuses helped establish his reputation as one of Hollywood's most respected leading men. Michael Clarke Duncan, despite catching an elbow that would've dropped most people, remained close friends with Johnson until Duncan's death in 2012.
As for the stuntmen hoping to catch a punch and a Rolex? Johnson says he learned his lesson about publicizing his apologies. Some gifts are better given quietly.
