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The Rock talked to GQ about some interesting topics in the wrestling world. His childhood was unique and probably different from many others at the time. The famous wrestler shared that he had a special connection with his dad, who, it seems, didn’t always have a lot of patience and could be tough at times. Looking back on his upbringing, Johnson understands that his father was also part of a time when he had to fight for many things. It’s also interesting to note that being a black pro wrestler back then was probably different from how it is now.
“It was tough love with him. Very little patience with s*. And he came up in an era where he had to fight for everything. [He was a] Black pro wrestler at that time in the ’60s and ’70s, mainly throughout the South.”- The Rock said, as quoted by Pwmania.
The Rock explains that his father raised him with a tough approach. He clarifies that his dad didn't physically hurt him, but their way of bonding was different. From a very young age, his father would take him to the gym, where he had to sit quietly and watch as his dad and his wrestling friends worked out. This experience helped shape his connection with his father.
The Rock looks back on those times with nostalgia. There were many moments that marked his childhood, and his dad's influence was probably just as important as his mom's while growing up. As he grew up, The Rock learned a lot from his father.
The Hollywood star and popular wrestler shared that his father was kicked out of the house when he was just 13, while his mother was with a drunk boyfriend. The Rock points out that growing up in such a tough situation left his father emotionally hurt, which affected their relationship. When something like that marks your childhood, it's really hard to grow up and fully open up emotionally to others.
“That’s a hard place to come back from. That will inform how you love people and what you care for in life and how you care about people. So it was really * up — that really damaged my dad. So his limited capacity to love is what raised me.”- he continued.
The Rock explains that he and his father had a complicated relationship while his dad was alive. When his father passed away suddenly four years ago, he didn’t have the chance to say goodbye or fix any of the issues they had. He says that after that, he started looking at things in life in a different way.
The Rock stresses about how certain moments in his life shaped who he became, especially at key ages like 10, 15, and 18. He says there were a lot of things that happened in between those years, but overall, his relationship with his dad was very complicated and based on "tough love." His dad, as we mentioned, had a rough childhood, getting kicked out of his house at 13 and becoming homeless. This difficult experience shaped the kind of man he became, and in turn, influenced how he raised The Rock.
Despite the complications, The Rock had an extraordinary life, full of travel. By the time he was 13, he had already lived in 13 different states and even spent time in New Zealand.
Their relationship and Rocky Johnson's death
Dwayne Johnson followed in his father's footsteps and became a huge WWE star. However, their relationship wasn't always perfect, especially when looking back at some moments from the past. About 20 years ago, Rocky Johnson challenged his son to a match on WWE TV. In 2008, Rocky also made some interesting comments about his son, saying that Dwayne should focus more on his WWE career rather than acting. Despite the ups and downs in their relationship, The Rock always tried to speak well of his father and avoid saying anything negative.
When his father passed away four years ago, The Rock shared an emotional message, expressing how much he loved and respected him.
"I love you. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend, and trail blazed your way through this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar."- The Rock wrote on Instagram.
Their relationship was truly unique, but maybe it was this kind of upbringing that helped The Rock see life from different perspectives and become a star. He looked up to his father as a role model, even though there were times when he wasn't happy with his dad's behavior.
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