Vince McMahon Told The Rock That He ‘Can’t Smile Enough’ As A Babyface In WWE

The Rock debuted at Survivor Series 1996 under the name Rocky Maivia. He was the first third generation star to debut in the company. The Rock’s initial character was that of a smiling babyface. He teamed with Jake Roberts, Marc Mero, and The Stalker to defeat the team of Crush, Goldust, Jerry Lawler, and Tripel H, and The Rock ended up the sole survivor of the match.

However, his gimmick wasn’t able to win over the crowds and soon people start booing him by chanting “Die Rocky Die.” This resulted in The Rock turning heel. During a recent interview with The New York Times, The Rock revealed that it was Vince McMahon’s advice to playing a babyface that resulted in him getting booed everywhere he went.

“Before I became a great bad guy, I came in as the babyface [the good guy]. I was told, ‘You can’t smile enough.’ Vince McMahon told me that. ‘You have to go out there and be grateful to be here.’ I was booed in every arena across the country. So I did have to withstand that kind of vitriol. By the time I did turn heel, I couldn’t have opened my arms wider to get them boos, to come in and embrace them.”

Turning heel catapulted The Rock into superstardom and in many ways is the catalyst for him becoming the megastar he is today. One can only imagine what would’ve happened had The Rock remained babyface.

Do you prefer seeing The Rock as a babyface or a heel? Sound off in the comments section.