Entertainment
They like to say who you surround yourself is a reflection of yourself.
Maybe I take it to heart.
Black Adamis, by any measure, a massive movie.
Its also the most personal film that Dany Garcia has produced yet.
Dwayne was on the football field and Hiram was the drum major of the marching band, Garcia recalls.
Were like, Black Adam, this character.You,and this character, Garcia says.
Getting the movie made, she adds, was an effort of consistency and just being deliberate.
Its such an interesting thing to be surrounded by so many superheroes, she muses.
They like to say who you surround yourself is a reflection of yourself.
Maybe I take it to heart.
Below, Garcia talksBlack Adam,the XFL, and what to make of themodern superhero physique.
Youve said that rowing crew at the University of Miami was themost transformative experienceyou had as a young woman.
What was that like?
I was in the bow pair I was continuously challenged to defend my seat, and I continuously won.
[There was] the camaraderie of being with incredible female athletes.
It shaped the tenacity that Ive carried through my professional career.
Is that drive to defend your seat still a part of your mentality today?
Especially in the business areas that I went into, there wasnt cachet.
I didnt come from a family who had been successful in these different ventures.
Many of my ventures have never been done before.
Im usually laying down the path.
KnowingBlack Adamcomes from such a personal place is interesting.
Youve been reading comics since you were a kid, right?
And my brother was deep, deep into Superman, Batman, and X-Men as well.
I had a very nice collection of comic books.
It was a big part of who we were.
You and Dwayne come from bodybuilding and wrestling backgrounds.
My husband has a passion for it.
Dwayne has a passion for it.
Henry has a passion for it.
There is a grind, there is a rebuilding.
And thats a very grounding experience.
Its a very disciplined experience.
Superheroes are reaching for something thats deep inside of themselves.
How do you leverage your experience in both sports and entertainment with the XFL?
The natural inclination is that the XFL is The Rocks XFL.
He won’t answer [some questions] because he knows I’m there.
That’s so invaluable.
What does that working relationship look like?
So the agreement was a commitment to self-evolution and growth.
When you are so different from who you were, it actually is very easy.
Youve said before that if women are succeeding quietly,were failing.Who are some women that inspire you?
I get inspiration from the female executives who work with me all the time.
[And] my daughter [Simone], she’s fantastic.
Since she’s 21, she forces my viewpoint to really bump out of my demo.
And all I have to do is just treat her opinions with respect and I learn so much.
On the topic of inspiration, what media have you been turning to recently?
I actually am pretty strategic about what I watch and what I don’t watch.
If I do watch television, I go for light, four-quadrant, humorous.
I’m very specific on that.
I did loveOnly Murders in the Building.Oh my God, I was so delighted.
But I do a tremendous amount of reading.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
