“The Rock” For President – Dwayne Johnson Reveals All

American presidential elections are an event that draw eyes from all over the world. Election seasons span for years, and in order to realistically run for president, it can cost billions of dollars. These facts make it difficult for simply anyone to run for president, but since the 2016 election there has been a slate of voters who have focused single handedly on a new type of president: the celebrity.

Some People Want Celebrities in Politics

Since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, the number of people calling for other celebrities to run for president has increased. One of the most notable presidents from the last sixty years was, in fact, a celebrity, and Ronald Reagan’s legacy is one that’s still discussed in political circles.

Names that have been thrown about to run for the 2024 election have included Oprah Winfrey, Kanye West, Howard Stern, and Roseanne Barr. While most people can agree that they would likely prefer a seasoned politician to be the person in the executive seat, a surprising voice and name has been attached to the political sphere by the public.

Dwayne Johnson Wears Many Faces

What people know Dwayne Johnson for largely depends on their age. While he’s still known as “The Rock” to many young fans of his acting, none of them were around during his wrestling era, which is the time in his life that bestowed the nickname on him.

Johnson was born in 1971 in California. He grew up split between the United States and New Zealand, where he played rugby and attended Primary school before returning to the US. His father, Rocky Johnson, was a professional wrestler, a genetic hint as to where the man would end up.

It Started With Football

Johnson experienced some difficulty with the law that was mitigated when he started playing football in high school, which then went on to an athletic scholarship in college. He played defensive tackle for the Miami Hurricanes during his freshman year in 1991, and the team won that year’s national championship.

Despite his skill in football, he never ascended to the heights of success like some of his other teammates, and in 1995 he graduated with a Bachelors and subsequently signed with a team on the Canadian Football League. He played with them for two months before he was subsequently cut, setting him up for his career in wrestling.

Early Wrestling Days

Johnson proceeded to start wrestling with the WWF (now the WWE) the following year, in 1996. His early career was filled with fits and starts, with some high-profile wins as well as major losses. He suffered an injury against the wrestler Mankind in 1997, and had to spend several months recovering.

After his recovery was complete, he proceeded to wrestle in the Nation of Domination, where he started to build a positive repertoire with his fans. This is where his famous persona of “The Rock” came to be, and lasted until 2000.

A Launch into Wrestling Fame

Johnson’s most famous wrestling years were from 1998 to 2000, though, where he won his first WWF championship. He wrestled in myriad high-profile matches during this time, winning and losing some in equal turn, and all the while building his relationship with his fans.

His wrestling career continued into the early 2000’s, with WWE contract finally ending in 2004. The latter years of his career were filled with more public appearances and publicity moments than wrestling matches, and it’s after this that Johnson decided to step away from wrestling and pursue acting as a full time career.

Acting into a New Era

Johnson’s acting career has been as varied as his wrestling career was, with his first appearance in a film being The Mummy Returns in 2001. He performed various different roles, including football players and cops across different projects. He didn’t hit his stride in acting until the 2010’s, though, with his first major breakthrough happening in 2011.

Johnson’s first major acting role was in 2011, where he played Luke Hobbs in Fast Five. The movie became the seventh-highest grossing movie of the year, and it set off a string of successful acting roles for Johnson. His participation in the Fast and Furious franchise was only the beginning, with his acting credits including the lead role in Disney’s Moana and roles in Baywatch and Jumanji.

Actors in Politics

Johnson is one of the highest-grossing actors in modern times, and his wrestling career prior to that made him famous with an entirely different generation. None of those credentials would immediately lead one to consider him as someone qualified for politics, though.

That’s what makes it surprising that Johnson himself has stated that he’s been approached about running for political office. And not just any political office, either. While actors have become politicians before – Arnold Schwarzenegger running for Governor of California is a famous example – some people have Johnson in mind for a very specific political office.

The Presidency is the Highest Honor

The presidency of the United States of America is the highest office that an individual can hold, and one with a great deal of responsibilities. Even with the high barrier to entry to becoming president, it is not an office that is unknown to actors.

Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump are both individuals who have Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, who have also been elected for president, both on behalf of the Republican Party. Reagan is incredibly fondly remembered by conservatives, with many believing that he ushered in the current era of conservative politics.

A Democratic Celebrity in the White House?

Given the history of Republicans electing actors, it’s unsurprising that there are some on the Democratic side who wonder if it would be possible to elect an actor for their party nominee, too. In an interview on Trevor Noah’s podcast, “What Now?” Johnson revealed that he had been approached about running for president, not only by fans, but by high-ranking party individuals too.

Johnson first floated the idea of running for president back in 2017, shortly after Donald Trump was elected to the highest office in the nation. At the time, he said that he would “100% consider” a run for the White House – if it was what people wanted.

Polling Data to the Rescue!

The subject came up again in 2021, when a political poll surfaced that revealed that 46% of adults said they would vote for Johnson, were he to announce a presidential bid. Johnson admitted that the information at the time was flabbergasting, and that the political support from his fans came out of the blue.

Not only was there the public support of his run from his fans, but Johnson went on to admit that at the end of 2022, he was approached by the parties about a possible bid for president. They discussed the poll results with him, and then asked if he would be willing to run for president in 2024.

A Flattering Proposal, but Ultimately Fruitless

Johnson was very flattered by the question, and while he did admit that his statement about running for president had been true once, he confirmed on Noah’s podcast that the time for running for political office had passed for him.

His reluctance is not due to a lack of loyalty or love for the country, far from it. Johnson’s lack of political ambition has a much more personal point of view: in the future, he wants to put more time and effort into being a father.

Fatherhood Takes Priority

Johnson went on to say that at this point in his life, the most important part of his life is being a father. His daughters that he shares with his partner, Lauren, are seven and five respectively, and he recognizes the importance of him being around during this time in their lives.

He explained to Noah that during his first daughter’s childhood, he was on the road often, traveling and competing. He missed a good deal of her childhood, and doesn’t want to repeat the mistake with his younger children, now that he has the opportunity to be a more present father.

Johnson Has His Priorities Clear

While some might be disappointed to hear that Johnson won’t be making a run for the highest office in the country, it’s difficult to blame the man when his reasons become clear. Parenthood is clearly a priority for The Rock, and he wants to make up for being absent early in his journey as a parent.

Political ambitions aren’t for everyone, and while Johnson accepted the polling data gracefully, it’s clear that his attention is elsewhere. It might be disappointing for the polling recipients who said they would vote for Johnson were he to run, but ultimately, the man has his priorities straight, and you have to respect him for that!