Posted on 07/09/2026 11:15:20 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Johnson recently told "Esquire" he is "going to keep my politics to myself."
Key Points:
-Wil Wheaton called Dwayne Johnson a 'coward' for declining to share his politics publicly.
-Johnson recently told Esquire he wants to "keep my politics to myself."
-The Moana star previously endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election, but said he regretted that decision in 2024.
Wil Wheaton doesn't care for Dwayne Johnson's approach to politics.
The Stand By Me actor called out the Jumanji: The Next Level star for declining to publicly comment on his political views.
"So disappointing to find out he is such a coward," Wheaton wrote on Threads on Monday.
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for Johnson for comment.
Wheaton is a vocal critic of President Trump, and previously campaigned for Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
Wheaton's comment came in response to a post by George Takei that quoted Esquire's recent profile of Johnson. "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's recent comments to Esquire about wanting to 'keep my politics to myself' have divided fans, with some calling out his silence," Takei wrote.
Indeed, Johnson did speak at length about why he won't speak at length about politics during his conversation with Esquire last month after the outlet asked if he intentionally avoids talking about political matters to maximize the audience for his movies.
"What I have learned through experience," Johnson told the outlet, "is that I need to keep — need, not want — the main thing 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."
Johnson explained that he doesn't want his politics to distract from his work, and that he's always open to having a conversation. "I’ve learned I’m going to keep my politics to myself," he said. "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."
He continued, "Politics is omnipresent and it’s forever. I don’t like it. [Laughs.] I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bulls--- that comes with it."
The Smashing Machine actor then told Esquire's reporter, who introduced the topic of politics via a comment about Bruce Springsteen's recent anti-Trump tour, that he thinks people who have political disagreements should talk to each other rather than calling each other out in public.
"When I hear you talk about Springsteen, who I love, and this idea that he’s speaking directly to Trump in his concerts, my first thought as you were telling me that, in my head, I went, 'Oh, then why don’t they talk?'" he said. "They should sit down and talk. I don’t know where that goes, but I do know that’s an important step.”
Johnson previously endorsed Joe Biden for president during the 2020 campaign, but in 2024, he told told Fox News' Will Cain that he regretted making an endorsement.
"The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one I thought was the best decision for me at that time… And I thought back then, when we talk about, 'Hey, you know, I'm in this position where I have some influence and it's my job then… to exercise my influence and share… this is who I'm going to endorse,'" he said in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
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"Am I gonna do that again this year? That answer is no, I'm not gonna do that, because what I realized — what that caused back then — was something that tears me up in my guts, back then and now, which is division," he continued. "And that got me. The takeaway after that, months and months and months, I started to realize, like, 'Oh man, that caused an incredible amount of division in our country.'"
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Does anyone care what the Jar Jar Binks of Star Trek has to say?
They really should have executed Wesley Crusher on the Pleasure Planet when he didn’t keep off the grass like he was supposed to.
Wil Wheaton’s career now is mostly Comic Cons and Star Trek fan fests, and the occasional cameo as himself.
Dwayne Johnson is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and will be a bankable start even when he ages out of the action hero roles. He has a LOT TO LOSE by comparison.
Right now, Wil’s best chance at a big pay day is to challenge Dwayne the Coward in the ring for one round. No holds barred. That would be quite the fight.
Wil Wheaton claims his parents stole childhood earnings: ‘My Star Trek residuals were all I had’
I wonder if all this is him shilling for work.
BTW, going after Johnson right now is gutless. Johnson's new movie is about to bomb. Bigly. Talk about kicking a guy when he's down...
Star Trek
Now this is exciting news to be on this site.
The Rock is finding out what happens when you don’t follow the Hollywood herd.
Johnson is taking the correct approach. Indeed, why should I give a damn what Hollywood people think about politics? A lot of them are as dumb as a fence post and even more don’t understand the first thing about economics or politics, so why bother listening to them. They have absolutely no impact on the way I view economics, policy, or politics in general.
No person is under any obligation to discuss their personal politics. Ever. With anyone.
If they run for office, it’s fair game. But otherwise MYOB.
They used that joke a lot.
Good for the Rock. Actors, musicians, and their ilk should focus on their craft. No one needs to know about their political anchoring because (1) they are entertainers and should focus on that and (2) they risk alienating either 52% or 48% of the population.
As MJ said….Republicans buy sneakers too!
He had to learn the hard way.
Good.
He should be embarrassed.
Yes probably two leftists or you never know what they really believe.
Exactly.
That’s the way it should be
He was a screwed up kid when he was on the show.
Serious family issues.
The cast didn’t even know about until decades later.
Proof he is still screwed up.
Wesley, Word of advice: Stay in Your Lane.
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