- Wil Wheaton has slammed Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson for his decision to stay out of politics.
- The “Stand By Me” star labelled Johnson a “coward” after the wrestler-turned-actor said he plans to keep his political views private.
- Wheaton’s comment came in response to a post by George Takei that quoted Esquire’s recent profile of Johnson.
Wil Wheaton has slammed Dwayne ‘The Rock' Johnson for his decision to stay out of politics. The “Stand By Me” star and President Trump critic labelled the Jumanji: The Next Level star a “coward” after the wrestler-turned-actor said he plans to keep his political views private.
“So disappointing to find out he is such a coward,” Wheaton wrote Monday on Threads.
Wheaton's comment came in response to a post by George Takei that quoted Esquire's recent profile of Johnson.
“Dwayne ‘The Rock' Johnson's recent comments to Esquire about wanting to ‘keep my politics to myself' have divided fans, with some calling out his silence,” Takei wrote.
Johnson did speak at length about why he won't speak at length about politics during his conversation with Esquire last month after the outlet asked if he intentionally avoids talking about political matters to maximize the audience for his movies.
He explained that he no longer wants to publicly weigh in on politics because he doesn't want it to overshadow his work.
“What I have learned through experience is that I need to keep — need, not want — the main thing the main thing. And the main thing for me, the thing that in the morning I swing my legs out of bed and I run towards, is creating. It's art. It's storytelling,” he said.
Johnson further explained that he doesn't want his politics to distract from his work, and that he's always open to having a conversation. “I've learned I'm going to keep my politics to myself,” he continued. “There are moments when, hey, there's nothing we can't talk about.”
“If I'm wrong, I'll tell you I'm wrong. Or if I feel like I got a leg up and this is the right way to go, I'll share it with you.”
Johnson believes people with opposing political views should talk to one another instead of publicly attacking each other, adding, “Politics is omnipresent and it's forever. I don't like it. [Laughs.] I hate it at times. I hate slinging. I hate all the bulls--- that comes with it.”
Wheaton has long been vocal about his political views and campaigned for Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
Johnson previously endorsed Joe Biden for president during the 2020 campaign. But in 2024, he told Fox News' that he regretted making an endorsement.