Dwayne Johnson reflects on ‘pain’ of Father’s Day as he ‘never reconciled’ with dad Rocky before his death

The Rock’s father, pro wrestler Rocky Johnson, died aged 75 in 2020

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has reflected on his “complicated relationship" with his late father, professional wrestling champion Rocky Johnson.

On Monday (20 June), the actor and WWE star shared a video on Instagram as he explained that there was something he had “missed” from his Father’s Day post the day prior.

In the original post shared on Sunday, Johnson shared a story about the pride he felt when he held his three daughters for the first time.

Hours later, Johnson shared a new, more emotional post addressing his relationship with his late father.

The Black Adam actor, 51, sympathised with fathers who, like him, do not have “the privilege anymore of wishing our own dads happy Father’s Day”.

Johnson added that the annual day can be “tricky” to deal with, especially for people who have had difficult relationships with their fathers.

“Especially if there’s a lot of guys out there, like me, who had a tough love, complicated relationship with our fathers,” he said.

Johnson continued: “I had that with my old man, I know a lot of you guys did as well. So it’s tricky, because they’re not here now and we wish they were.”

His own father, who was a Canadian pro wrestler and the first African-American WWE tag team champsion, died suddenly aged 75 on 15 January 2020.

At the time of his father’s death, Johnson had fallen out with his father and was not speaking to him following the “biggest fight” during Christmas in 2019.

“I got in the biggest fight with my old man during Christmas 2019, the biggest fight I ever got in with him in my life, his as well with me. We fought,” he explained.

“We weren’t talking, or I wasn’t talking, and three weeks later he dropped dead, and that was it. I never had a chance to say goodbye and I never even had a chance to reconcile what we were going through. I got goosebumps right now.”

Johnson then urged his fans to try and “reconcile” similar relationships and to “try and bring it back together”.

He continued: “Do your best to reconcile because the alternative is something could happen and all of a sudden you’re writing the eulogy for your dad’s funeral, like I found myself.”

"I woke up one day and he was gone, and I had to write that eulogy and deliver it. I don’t want that for you guys.”

After Rocky Johnson retired in 1991, Dwayne continued his wrestling legacy – which is where he got his nickname ‘The Rock’ – before becoming an actor.