Video: The Rock Talks Decision to Leave Pro Wrestling for Acting, New “Master Class” Preview

– We noted a while back that The Rock will appear on an upcoming episode of “Oprah’s Master Class” to tell an emotional story about his mother. That episode airs this Sunday at 8pm EST on the Oprah Network and a new preview clip is above.

The special will also feature Rock talking about his decision to walk away from pro wrestling to pursue acting full-time. Rock talks about the decision and wanting longevity in the clip seen below.

“It kind of shook me a little bit because wrestling was all I knew at that time,” Rock says. “I wanted to grow as an entertainer. I wanted to reach as many people as possible, not for the box office value of it, but for the connection.”

“If I made the transition into acting, I wanted to be great. I knew going in, the cards are stacked against me,” he said. “There’s a shelf life to a career if I just wanted to get by on popularity. I didn’t want to be in that position. I wanted longevity.”

“I had to educate myself, and I had to be a student of the game,” the former WWE Champion said. “Know your business. … And surround yourself with brilliant people, and go to work.”

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