Dwayne Johnson on Chris Evans
Chris Evans’ comedic skills had Dwayne Johnson in stitches on the set of Red One.
Johnson, 52, spoke with PEOPLE on Sunday, Nov. 3, at the international premiere of the duo’s Christmas action comedy in Berlin and explained how he and Evans, 43, played off one another on production.
When asked how he kept a straight face during some of the lighter parts, given his character’s more serious nature, Johnson replied, “‘Cause I’m a pro,” before conceding, “No, so many times I laughed.” I’m infamous for spoiling takes. I chuckle because that’s what occurs.”
To his credit, Evans says, “Chris is a pretty humorous man. “He’s also very talented,” Johnson added.
“And I was thinking earlier that maybe Chris and I had some good chemistry.” So did he. [And] we did,” he continued.
Red One is based on an original plot by Hiram Garcia, the president of production of Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, and Jake Kasdan, who previously supervised Johnson’s films. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and its sequel Jumanji: The Next
The film features an E.L.F. Task Force Commander who works with a bounty hunter to rescue Christmas. Johnson stars as Callum Drift, while Evans plays Jack O’Malley.
“After Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons) — Code Name: RED ONE — is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas,” according to the movie’s description.
Along with Johnson, Evans, and Simmons, 69, the next film’s cast includes Lucy Liu, Bonnie Hunt, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Nick Kroll, and Kiernan Shipka.
Johnson told PEOPLE in Berlin on Sunday that he was drawn to Red One because he thought “the material was good” and “loved” the script, penned by Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Shazam! Fury of the Gods).
And, yes, the wrestler-turned-actor “wanted to make a Christmas movie”—but not just any Christmas movie.
“I think when you get into acting … the idea of making a Christmas movie … you wanna make sure that you make a good one,” he told me. “You don’t want to be a part of a crew that films a bad Christmas film. So I believe we created a decent one.” Red One opens in cinemas on November 15.