The Rock has been dragged into political talk before, but this time he’s making one thing clear — he’s not interested in turning his platform into a political battlefield.
While speaking to Esquire, Dwayne Johnson said he’s learned to keep “the main thing the main thing,” and for him, that means creating, storytelling, and entertainment, not getting dragged into the mudslinging that comes with politics.
“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. I’ve learned I’m going to keep my politics to myself.”
That doesn’t mean The Rock thinks every tough subject should be avoided. He said he’s open to hard conversations and can admit when he’s wrong, but politics itself has become something he clearly does not enjoy.
“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. Politics is omnipresent and it’s forever. I don’t like it. [Laughs.] I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bullshit that comes with it.”
The Rock also brought up Bruce Springsteen’s criticism of Donald Trump and said his first thought was not to pick a side, but to wonder why they don’t just sit down and talk. He said he does not know where that conversation would go, but believes talking is still an important first step.
“Because when I hear you talk about Springsteen, who I love, and this idea that he’s speaking directly to Trump in his concerts, my first thought as you were telling me that, in my head, I went, Oh, then why don’t they talk? They should sit down and talk. I don’t know where that goes, but I do know that’s an important step.”
Bottom line, The Rock isn’t trying to be the next celebrity shouting from the political sidelines. He knows the noise that comes with it, and for now, he’d rather stay in his lane, make movies, tell stories, and let everyone else fight it out.
What do you think about The Rock choosing to keep his politics private? Drop your thoughts below and let us know.
