The Wall Street Journal has a new interview and profile with Dwayne The Rock Johnson. It confirms much of what we assume we know about him – that he’s a genuinely good person, that people adore him, and that he has a strong work ethic. He opens up a little about the fact that he was hesitant to get married but decided to take the plunge again after ten years. My favorite part is when his ex wife turned business partner talks about how Dwayne drives himself everywhere and used to just memorize the routes until he screwed up enough that their 18 year-old daughter told him to use his phone! That’s so relatable to me, not as someone who does this but as someone who knows people around his age who do this. I know I have crap directional sense, I’m not taking my chances.
On meeting his wife in 2007
“Within 30 seconds, I thought, Wow, this girl’s stunning. At the time, I was going through my breakup with Dany, and she was just coming off a big breakup too. Ironically, when you’re not looking for something, the power of the universe kind of takes over.” By the time they decided to tie the knot, the couple already had two kids. Was the fact that Johnson’s first marriage didn’t work out partly why he waited so long on the second? “That’s a good question,” he says, seeming to consider it for the first time. “I think so, yeah. My divorce did a number on me. I wasn’t fearful of getting married again, there was just some hesitancy. But Lauren was incredibly patient: ‘I love you, you love me, we have this amazing life together—no presh.’”His wedding with 9 guests went off without a hitch
“We had a full security detail in case there were helicopters. But there was no press, no paparazzi. No one knew. I was shocked but so grateful. My life is so loud and noisy; the fact that it was quiet was a big win.”His wedding ring is too big to work out in so he’s having two more made
“One is from a bull’s horn. And the other is from a Tyrannosaurus rex bone. Pretty cool, right?”He’s definitely supporting a Democrat, but he’s not sure whom
“I’m not voting for Trump. I’ve gotten to know Tulsi Gabbard—we had a really good conversation regarding Mauna Kea. And I’ve become good buddies with Cory Booker. I think he’s a tremendous, high-quality person who’s hungry to do well for our country and our people.”His ex wife and business manager on how their 18 yo daughter told him to use Google Maps
“He drives himself, always.” As a young wrestler, “he spent so long running around the country— writing down addresses, ‘take a left, take a right’—it took him a beat to finally accept Google Maps. It was our daughter who was finally like, ‘Dad.’ They share locations, and she’d look at her phone and go, ‘Um, he’s very far from where he needs to be.’”
[From WSJ Magazine via Tom and Lorenzo]
Sometimes my son asks me how we used to navigate before phones and online maps. We would read the map, memorize the route, and write it down. It’s not hard, it’s just outdated and unnecessary most of the time. I still do that sometimes with my motorcycle but I mostly ride around the countryside and am planning leisure routes. I have friends who are in their 50s and give directions like “it’s by Kroger, do you know where the high school is?” I tell them I just ask my phone. I always use Google maps on the highway, even for familiar drives, because it knows if there’s a traffic jam and automatically reroutes you, you can’t beat that. I’m trying to teach by best friend how to do this! I just think it’s funny and relatable that a guy my age who is a huge star had to be told by his teenager to use Google maps. Oh and I also share my location with my teenager! I wish he would reciprocate, he only does it occasionally when he’s away from home. I’ll have to come up with a way to get that to happen.
I also really like that the Rock is voting for a Democrat and is making that clear. I don’t think Tulsi Gabbard or Cory Booker are contenders, particularly Tulsi as she’s problematic. I would vote for either just not in the primary. It’s obvious he’s talking about the candidates he’s met though. He sounds like he’s voting blue no matter what, which is the way to be.
This has to be one of the weirdest baby Yoda memes! I like that DJ embraced it and turned it around on Kevin Hart. I’m so watching Jumanji 2. Like Hecate I loved the first one.
Photos credit: Getty and via Instagram/Wall Street Journal
LOL. That was sweet (and funny).
I was telling my niece recently how I used to get around Southern California including Los Angeles in the late 80’s using those gigantic , thick, 100 page map books. Plot the route on a piece of paper including highway changes. She looked at me in disbelief 😆 I’m in my 50s and a confirmed google maps user.
I travel a lot locally for my job- up until probably 7 years ago, I used a map book. My dad worked for the utility company, and he would get me a free updated copy each year. I kind of like that I can expertly read maps, when most people don’t even know where to begin.
The Thomas Bros. Guide! I had a copy in my car until a few years ago. Everyone used it.
I take a lot of Lyfts now and half the drivers can’t follow a map even with Siri telling them to “turn left here.”
I love that man. He’s always delightful.
Maybe I’m old (I’m not but maybe it’s an old mindset, shrug) but I don’t see any value in using an app for known routes. So what if there’s traffic? I’ll get there when I get there.
I am a grown woman but yeah, I have never wanted to be baby Yoda so much. Yep, I said it.
honestly, the fact that he got divorced with a young child and maintained such a good relationship with his ex-wife that their business partners speaks volumes to what kind of dude he is. I’m still kind of curious as to why his oldest daughter wasn’t at their wedding, but it seems like everyone has a good relationship. I really like him.
The baby yoda pic is gold. Baby yoda is great. And is probably one of the few things generally as beloved as the rock.
You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats the mother of his child. That he and Dany have such a great relationship after their divorce is a testament to his nature.
It’s awesome that they can keep it civil for their daughter. My uncle was a total asshole, but he made his ex-wife executrix of his will. That ensured their kids were taken care of honestly. She was also his accountant, so I guess he respected her despite his asshole nature.
What a cute girl! I really like the Rock. He seems like a super nice guy.
One of his wedding rings is made out of a t-rex bone?? That is the coolest freaking thing..I would die for something like that!!!!
I’ve been given directions like, ‘do you know where the old Safeway used to be?’, turn there. Or drive five miles to the old golf course, then turn right. No, I don’t know! I just moved here!
Ugh please don’t make Tulsi “I’m a russian Mole” a thing! She is the least qualified idiot on the Dem side. We already have a nut in our house spouting Pudding’s sayings. We don’t need a female version of that. I don’t care if she served in the military either. A traitor is a traitor is a traitor.