Joe Manganiello Talks Dungeons & Dragons

Joe Manganiello recently sat down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about his love of Dungeons & Dragons. Here's what he had to say:

When I was in high school, the people playing Dungeons & Dragons did not look like you. Did you play it growing up?
"I did. I’ve played all the way through [to today]. I started when I was 10."

How were you introduced to that world?
"When I was young, I had the Hobbit picture book and record — the one that had a chime to tell you to turn the page. That was what I would consider the gateway drug into fantasy for me. Then I discovered the Rankin-Bass cartoon version of Lord of the Rings. From there it was like a hunt for all things dragon, elf, dwarf, wizard and fantasy.


Then I landed on the Dungeons & Dragons basic set. There’s a solo adventure that you can play by yourself. I played that thing over and over again, because I just didn’t know any other kids who played it."

A lot of successful people in Hollywood credit the game with helping them in their careers.
"Every summer was spent creatively cooking up adventures the way a modern-day showrunner or producer would. Which is what I do now. It was building characters and story arcs and auxiliary storylines. Little did I know I was flexing all the muscles that I ended up using in my chosen profession.


But I will say this: All the kids I played with growing up were athletes like me. Everyone who plays these games is an intellectual. But they came in all shapes and sizes, including my jock friends. I play regularly now with my trainer, who is the current world champion in CrossFit over 45 years old. He’s a monster. My friend Thomas Tull, CEO of Legendary Entertainment, he came over and played. He co-owns the Steelers. So they come in all shapes and sizes, I guess I’m trying to say."

Do you have a beloved character?
"I was always the gamemaster. I was creating the storyline and running the show. For years, I was always coming up with these worlds for the players to inhabit. The last few years, though, I’ve gotten heavily back into Dungeons & Dragons with the release of the fifth edition.


The character I play now and in Force Grey is a dragon-born oath-breaker paladin who worships the five-headed dragon goddess Tiamat. His powers derive from the Queen of Darkness. Red skin, breathes fire, big nasty battle ax. He’s really fun to play."

Read the full interview at The Hollywood Reporter.