Actor Wil Wheaton, best known for his role in Star Trek: The Next Generation, has publicly criticized Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson after the star said he intends to keep his political views private.
The reaction came after an interview Johnson gave to Esquire, in which the actor explained that he no longer plans to make public political statements. According to him, politics has become excessively “divisive,” and his focus now is on telling stories through entertainment.
Johnson also said he regrets publicly endorsing then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 election and stated that he would not make that kind of endorsement again. In a post on the social media platform Threads, Wheaton called Johnson a “coward” and said he was disappointed by his decision.
In addition to Wheaton, actor George Takei also criticized Johnson’s stance. In a social media post, Takei wrote that “silence is complicity,” suggesting that public figures with significant influence should speak out on political issues.
So far, Dwayne Johnson has not responded to the criticism. The controversy has reignited the debate over the role of celebrities in politics and whether entertainers have a responsibility to use their influence to speak out on public issues.
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