The Rock says he's not happy with the state of the US after endorsing Biden in 2020
Actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson explains why he publicly endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, talks cancel culture and answers speculation about his future political aspirations.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson sounded off on cancel culture and why he would not be endorsing President Biden this election cycle, in an exclusive interview with "Fox & Friends."
The actor and former WWE superstar explained how he values authenticity and finds the current push to not offend others aggravating because it forces people to be dishonest.
"To be real and to be direct and to be open and to be transparent….that's important to me," he explained to host Will Cain. "In today's easy cancel culture world and cancel culture, woke culture, this culture, that culture division, etc., that really bugs me."
Johnson said he's come to learn that being "real" and honest is more important than worrying about being canceled.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson explained why he won't be endorsing President Biden this election cycle. (Screenshot/FNC)
"You either succumb and be what you think other people want you to be, or you go, 'No, that's not who I am. I'm going to be myself and I'm going to be real.' If you ask me something, a real answer is important, and the truthful answer is important, and that may get people upset and may p--- people off. And that's okay," he said. "But it took me some time to recognize that."
Johnson, who identifies as an Independent, made his first endorsement of a political candidate during the 2020 election, backing President Biden.
Cain asked if he was happy with that endorsement four years later, and with the current state of American culture.
"Am I happy with the state of America right now? Well, that answer's no. Do I believe we're going to get better? I believe in that. I'm an optimistic guy, and I believe we can get better," he began.
"The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was what I thought was the best decision for me at that time," he said. However, he regretted the division caused by wading into politics and said he would not be publicly endorsing a candidate this time around.
Dwayne Johnson endorsed Biden and Harris ahead of the November 2020 election but explained to Fox's Will Cain he was staying out of politics this election. (Getty Images)
"Am I going to do that again this year? That answer's no. I'm not going to do that," he told Cain. "Because what I realized that what that caused back then was something that tears me up in my guts back then and now, which is division. 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.’ So I realize now going into this election, I'm not going to do that. I wouldn't do that because my goal is to bring our country together. I believe in that, in my DNA. So in the spirit of that, there's going to be no endorsement," he said.
"Not that I'm afraid of it at all, but it's just I realize that this level of influence —I'm gonna keep my politics to myself, and I think it's between me and the ballot box," he continued.
The Hollywood star said he would "100%" support whomever the American people chose to be president.
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Despite calls for the actor to challenge President Biden in the 2024 race, Johnson said he was not currently contemplating running for higher office.
"As of now. No, that's not my intention. Will, I'm not a politician. I'm not into politics. I care deeply about our country. I'm a patriot. And I believe you are, too, as well. And right now, my desire and my priorities are my babies and school drop-offs and pickups and things like that. That's important to me," he remarked.
"In the spirit of bringing people together and bringing our country together, I don't know if that's the right move at this point. Possibly. I don't know," he added.