For years, Hollywood has insisted that celebrities have a responsibility to use their platforms to speak out on political issues. But Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s decision to step away from public commentary on politics has now sparked backlash from several prominent entertainment figures, with some branding the actor a “coward” for choosing to remain silent.
The criticism comes after Johnson reiterated that he intends to keep his political beliefs private, arguing that his focus is on storytelling rather than adding to an already deeply divided political climate.
Ironically, the reaction to Johnson’s comments may end up reinforcing the very point he was making.
The Rock Says He’s Done Talking Politics
Speaking to Esquire, Johnson explained that years of experience have changed how he views political activism as a celebrity.
“What I have learned through experience is that I need to keep — need, not want — the main thing,” he said. “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 continued: “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 bulls**t that comes with it.”
Johnson’s position is not entirely new.
The Rock Beat up in The Smashing Machine – YouTube, A24
After endorsing Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election, Johnson later admitted that the endorsement had become divisive and said he regretted entering the political arena in the first place.
Speaking to Fox News in 2024, he said: “My goal is to bring this country together… 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.”
George Takei and Wil Wheaton Fire Back
Johnson’s comments immediately drew criticism from several Hollywood figures.
Star Trek actor George Takei wrote on Threads: “Silence is complicity.”
DeForest Kelly and George Takei as Bones and Sulu in Star Trek The Original Series – Paramount+
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Meanwhile, Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton was even harsher.
“So disappointing to find out he is such a coward,” Wheton said, seemingly secure in the fact that he wasn’t face to face with the former professional wrestler.
Those remarks were highlighted in a new Variety report (of course…) covering the backlash.
A Different View Outside Hollywood
While Johnson’s critics argue that celebrities have an obligation to speak out politically, many moviegoers have increasingly expressed fatigue with entertainment becoming inseparable from partisan politics.
Hollywood has spent much of the last decade encouraging actors, directors, and studios to take public positions on nearly every major political issue. Awards shows, press junkets, and even movie premieres have increasingly become platforms for political messaging.
The Rock, Karen Gillian, and Jack Black in Jumanji – Sony
Johnson appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
Rather than using every interview as an opportunity to weigh in on current events, he’s arguing that audiences should primarily know him for the films he creates.
Whether fans agree with Johnson’s politics—or even know what they are—is ultimately beside the point.
Choosing Privacy Isn’t Cowardice
One of the stranger aspects of the backlash is the implication that remaining politically private is somehow an act of moral failure.
In reality, millions of Americans choose not to broadcast their political beliefs publicly. Some do so to avoid conflict with friends and family. Others simply believe their vote is a personal matter.
Johnson is hardly unique in deciding that not every political opinion needs to be shared with millions of followers.
In an era where public figures are frequently criticized no matter which side they support, there’s arguably something refreshing about a celebrity who openly says he’d rather focus on entertaining audiences than participating in the daily political food fight.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at the 2026 Met Gala – Entertainment Tonight, YouTube
That doesn’t mean Johnson has abandoned his personal beliefs. It simply means he has decided those beliefs belong in the voting booth instead of every interview.
Given how polarized both politics and entertainment have become, that’s a position many Americans may find easier to relate to than Hollywood’s increasingly common expectation that every celebrity become a political activist.
Whether one agrees with Johnson or not, the decision to stay out of partisan politics is just that—a personal decision. Ironically, demanding ideological conformity from celebrities while condemning those who decline to participate seems at odds with the idea that people are free to reach their own conclusions and express—or withhold—their political opinions as they see fit.
Do you think The Rock is right to keep quiet about politics? Sound off and let us know!
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