Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently opened up about one of the most painful regrets of his life — the final conversation he ever had with his father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson.
Appearing on the Artist Friendly with Joel Madden podcast roughly a week ago, Johnson reflected on his complicated relationship with his father, noting that while they were never especially close, the way things ended continues to weigh heavily on him.
Johnson explained that their bond was shaped by tough love, which often led to tension and distance over the years.
That strain ultimately boiled over during what would become their last interaction.
“We got into this huge fight Christmas 2019. It was awful. One of the biggest fights we ever got into about some just some stupid [stuff],” Johnson said. “And then about a month later, he passed away. And we weren’t talking.”
That fractured father-son dynamic was later explored on-screen in NBC’s Young Rock, which chronicled different stages of Johnson’s life and his relationship with his parents.
Sometimes the hardest conversations are the ones that never get a chance to happen again.
Rocky Johnson made history as the first African American WWF World Tag Team Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, with his son proudly handling the induction ahead of WrestleMania 24.
Johnson passed away on January 15, 2020, at the age of 75.
His death was caused by a pulmonary embolism stemming from a blood clot that originated from deep vein thrombosis in his leg. He died at his home in Lutz, Florida, a residence purchased by his son.
Watch Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s complete appearance on Artist Friendly with Joel Madden via the YouTube player embedded below.
