Dwayne Johnson Reveals His Childhood’s Deepest Pain

Dwayne Johnson has spoken openly about one of the most painful experiences of his childhood, revealing how it shaped him deeply. The actor and former wrestler described the anguish he felt during an eviction from his family’s Honolulu apartment, an event he says caused more pain than any of his wrestling injuries.

The Impact of the Eviction on a Teenage Johnson

At age 15, Johnson was living with his mother, Ata Johnson, while his father, Rocky Johnson, was wrestling in Tennessee. Despite his parents remaining married, their relationship was strained, and Johnson already saw himself as a primary support for his mother. The day they came home to find an eviction notice brought emotional devastation.

“The worst pain I’ve ever felt was when we were evicted from Hawaii and I was sent to Nashville to live with my dad,”

he shared.

Watching his mother break down in tears caused a profound heartache.

“It hurt my heart to see my mom like that.”

A Difficult Transition to Nashville

Ata Johnson arranged for Dwayne to live with his father in Nashville while she prepared to move their belongings to the mainland. Although Rocky promised he had an apartment ready,

“No problem, I’ve got an apartment.”

Dwayne’s arrival at the airport was instead met by a man named Bob, who took him to a motel. He soon discovered that his father was living elsewhere with another woman, adding further emotional pain to an already difficult situation.

“My heart hurts when I think about that,”

Johnson said.

“The pain that my mom was driving with. Like: What is my life now? That whole time.”

Ata’s arrival at the motel quickly revealed the truth to her.

“Within five minutes, it all just… It wasn’t even an explosion. It was just — a collapse.”

The Devastating Moment on the Nashville Freeway

Later that day, Johnson witnessed a terrifying event when his mother stepped out of Rocky’s car and walked into oncoming freeway traffic. Vehicles swerved to avoid hitting her, and Johnson pulled her back to safety. He shared this story publicly in 2018 during filming of the TV show Ballers, in a moment reflecting on personal struggle and pain.

“Struggle and pain is real. We’ve all been there on some level or another,”

he wrote.

“My mom tried to check out when I was 15. She got outta the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic. Big rigs and cars swerving outta the way not to hit her. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road. What’s crazy about that suicide attempt is to this day, she has no recollection of it whatsoever. Probably best she doesn’t.”

He reflected on the emotional weight of the scene while filming Ballers:

“Shit of a scene to shoot — didn’t like it — but it did [serve as a] reminder that we always gotta do our best to really pay attention when people are in pain. Help ‘em thru it, get ‘em talkin’ about the struggle and remind ‘em that they’re not alone.”

Channeling Pain Into His Work

Now a successful WWE legend and Hollywood star, Johnson has carried this childhood pain with him throughout his career. While filming The Smashing Machine, a biopic about UFC fighter Mark Kerr and his battles with addiction and hardships, Johnson drew upon his own sense of hopelessness from that eviction day.

“I went back to what it’s like being a 15-year-old kid and coming home and being evicted,”

he told CBS News Sunday Mornings. Discussing the emotional vulnerability required for the role, he added,

“The thing that I was running from, which was ripping myself open, is actually the thing that I needed the most because it made me realize that the thing I love, which is acting and telling these stories, now I see it in a different world.”

Significance of Johnson’s Story and Upcoming Film Release

Dwayne Johnson’s willingness to confront such a painful chapter in his life highlights the importance of acknowledging and addressing personal struggles. His reflections shed light on the challenges many face silently and emphasize the need to support those in crisis. The Smashing Machine, which opens in theaters on October 3, promises to explore these themes of pain and redemption through the lens of Mark Kerr’s life.