Dwayne Johnson, arguably the world’s biggest movie star, announced his endorsement of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential election Sunday, after having never publicly done so in his life.
The actor and former professional wrestler has nearly 200 million followers on Instagram and 14.8 million on Twitter, and he regards himself as “a political independent and centrist for many years.”
“I’ve voted for Democrats in the past and as well as Republican,” Johnson said in his social media posts. “In this critical election, I believe Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the best to lead our country, and as my first ever (public) Presidential endorsement, I proudly endorse them for the presidential office of our United States.
“Progress takes courage, humanity, empathy, strength, grit, kindness and respect. Being KIND & RESPECTFUL to one another will always matter.”
Previously a registered Republican, Johnson supported Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 elections. In character as “The Rock,” Johnson attended both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions as part of World Wrestling Entertainment’s “Smackdown Your Vote” campaign.
“Look, I’ve got friends in all parties, but the one thing we can always agree on is the conversation at the dialogue, and where that conversation lands is always the most critical part,” Johnson said in his Instagram video.
He sat down for a video call with Biden and Harris where he announced his endorsement and asked the candidates a few questions about the election, including “How will you earn the respect of the American people once you’re inside the White House?”
Biden responded: “By doing what we say we’re going to do. By keeping our word. By leveling with the American people. By taking responsibility. When we fail, we acknowledge it. We’re not gonna be perfect, but take responsibility. Say this is what I’m going to do, this is what I believe, and tell the truth. That sounds so basic, but the American people are strong. They’re tough. They can take anything if you level with them, and tell the truth. And one of the ways we’re going to do it is demonstrate we mean what we say.”
“It’s about trust, right?” Harris followed. “And as we now, the nature of trust is…a reciprocal relationship. You give and receive trust. And one of those foundations of trust is truth. You must speak truth, but here’s the reality: Truth can sometimes be really difficult to hear, and for that reason, sometimes people don’t speak it. But you cannot have trust if you don’t speak truth.”
“As we all seek the truth, and as we all want to do our best to speak truthfully to each other, it’s not to confront, it’s not to hurt, but it’s to make progress,” Johnson said in a video following their conversation. “The most powerful way for us to make progress, to me, is through humanity, is through decency. Progress through humanity, progress through decency, through equality, progress through kindness, ’cause kindness matters.”
In June 2020, Johnson released a video criticizing President Donald Trump and supporting Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality after the death of George Floyd.
Johnson tweeted, “Where are you?#normalizeequality#blacklivesmatter.”
Where are you?#normalizeequality#blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/Xid3BC4B2n
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) June 4, 2020
“Where are you? Where is our leader?” Johnson said in the video, which has 5 million views on Twitter alone. “Where is our leader at this time when our country is down on its knees, begging, pleading, hurt, angry, frustrated, in pain with its arms out, just wanting to be heard?”
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