Will Wheaton Slams Dwayne Johnson As A "Coward" For Political Neutrality

Dwayne Johnson, who is about to kick off a global press tour for Disney's Moana, told Fox News in 2024 that he regretted endorsing Joe Biden for president in 2020 because it generated rifts amongst his fans, adding at the time: “My goal is to bring this country together. I believe in that. There will be no endorsement. At this level of influence, I will keep my politics to myself. It is between me and the ballot box.”

He has underlined his opposition to political chatter in a conversation with Esquire this month: “What I have learned through experience is that I need to keep — need, not want — 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. 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. I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bullshit that comes with it.”

Who Criticised The Rock?

The backlash to his stance has been immediate. Star Trek legend George Takei did not mince his words. Takei shared his thoughts on Threads with just three words: “Silence is complicity.” Takei has been one of Hollywood’s most consistent political voices for years. He has spoken openly about civil rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and American political life. His response was short but it spread quickly across social media and was picked up widely. Will Wheaton, best known for Stand By Me, also chipped in, “So disappointing to find out he is such a coward.”

The chasms in Hollywood are stark, especially since Trump administration took over the reins. Jennifer Lawrence told The New York Times last year that she’s been pulling back from political commentary, doubting its impact and confessing “We are so divided”. She insisted instead on her work conveying her political beliefs, “A lot of movies coming out from my production company are expressions of the political landscape and that’s how I feel like I can be helpful.” Some stars have continued to speak openly, even when it arrives with consequences. Scream actor Melissa Barrera was dropped from the franchise in 2023 after posting about pro-Palestine content, while others like Mark Ruffalo have remained consistently vocal on political and humanitarian issues.