Dwayne Johnson on Abusive Childhood, Not Worrying About Audiences
Variety••entertainment
Key Points:
- Dwayne Johnson grew up in a turbulent family environment, witnessing his parents' volatile relationship and his father's struggles with addiction while his mother sacrificed her own dreams to support the family.
- For much of his 26-year acting career, Johnson avoided confronting his personal trauma, focusing instead on lighthearted tough-guy roles in blockbuster franchises like "Jumanji" and "Furious 7."
- In 2017, Johnson began pursuing the life rights of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, whose struggles with addiction inspired the film "The Smashing Machine," marking a transformative and deeply personal role for Johnson.
- Collaborating with director Benny Safdie, who shared personal experiences with addiction, Johnson delivered a raw and unrecognizable performance that earned
