Dwayne Johnson is opening up about his difficult past.
The wrestler-turned-actor, 42, known by many as “The Rock,” opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about his three bouts with depression.
In the cover story, Johnson delves deep into his past to share the experiences that brought on his despair. The first instance occurred after Johnson, who was a rising football star at 18, sustained a shoulder injury in his freshman year at the University of Miami.
“I didn’t know what it was,” Johnson recalled about the dark time that led him to suddenly drop out of school. “I didn’t know why I didn’t want to do anything. I had never experienced anything like that.”
Although Johnson got back on his feet and returned to the gridiron after a call from his coach, his dreams of becoming a pro player were dashed when he wasn’t selected for the NFL draft. He eventually signed a contract with the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders for $35,000 a year — a far cry from what he was hoping to make in the NFL.
Things went from bad to worse when the 6-foot-5 athlete was demoted to the practice team and paid $250 a week. He was also forced to live with three other players in a two-bedroom apartment. Johnson was eventually let go and returned to Miami, where his second bout with depression led to his split with Dany Garcia, his longtime manager and the mother of his 12-year-old daughter, Simone.
“The dreams I had, they’re dashed,” said the “Fast & Furious” star. “There is no more football. My relationship was crushed. That was my absolute worst time.”
Johnson’s third depressed period was set in motion by his 2008 divorce from Garcia. Despite Johnson declining to go into details about the breakup, he claims his hard-to-manage feelings came crashing down after reflecting on his choices.
“Once I manned up and became accountable for the mess I was in, that’s when it hit me,” said Johnson. “What kind of a dad does this make me? What kind of a man will I now become? Failing at marriage and as a husband was a heavy thing, and divorce had that special way of knocking me on my ass.”
Despite his divorce, Johnson kept his growing brand and business a family affair. Garcia remained on board as his manager and longtime business partner. Her brother, Hiram, is Johnson’s producing partner. Garcia’s new husband, Dave Rienzi, is Johnson’s conditioning coach.
Looking ahead to the future, Johnson continues to build his star power. He lives with his 29-year-old girlfriend, Lauren Hashian, and has several movies in the works. He’s set to star in the summer action flick “Hercules,” which hits theaters July 25. He also has two more movies set for 2015, “Fast & Furious 7” and “San Andreas.”