Dwayne Johnson Reveals Childhood Trauma: "For Years, I Was Scared"

• Dwayne Johnson opens up about his "rough childhood" and growing up in a "dysfunctional family" with an "explosive and volcanic relationship" between his parents.
• His pro-wrestler father struggled with addictions, focusing on his career, while his mother sacrificed her dreams and felt "never seen."
• Johnson "compartmentalized the pain" for years, focusing on tough-guy roles, but witnessed and heard his parents' fights, causing trauma.
• In 2017, he found courage to confront his past, pursuing the life rights of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, whose story resonated with his own trauma.
• This led to A24's 'The Smashing Machine', a "career pinnacle" where Johnson delivers a revelatory performance as a "bruising and bruised" protagonist.

Why It Matters: Dwayne Johnson transforms childhood trauma into a powerful performance in 'The Smashing Machine'.