Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson met the actor playing his late father for the first time in an incredibly emotional moment.
The WWE legend turned Hollywood star’s life is playing out on the small screen in Young Rock, with Joseph Lee Anderson portraying Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson – who died aged 75 in January 2020 – in the sitcom.
Now, The Rock and Joseph have hung out, bringing up a lot of feeling for Dwayne as he felt like he was back with his dad one last time.
Sharing some photos of their meeting, he wrote on Instagram: ‘I didn’t want our hug to end. It was moving to finally meet Joseph, who’s resemblance, mannerisms and spirit of my dad is uncanny.
‘It was as if I w as right there talking with my dad one more time. All the memories came back to me. All the tough and often complicated love he gave me growing up. But it was still love. As a man and a father – years later, I understand.
‘My dad died suddenly on January 20th of 2020. I never got a chance to say goodbye one last time. But finally meeting Joe, I got a chance to say hello one more time.’
He also shared a video of them walking through a park together, and admitted it was something Dwayne – who is a big family man – never got the chance to do with Rocky when he was alive.
He said: ‘Growing up as a kid and even as a man, I never took a walk with my dad. If he were alive today, I would’ve loved to have tried this with him.
‘I asked @officialjosephleeanderson (who plays my dad on our show Young Rock) to take a walk with me because I wanted to feel what it was like to walk and just shoot the s**t with my old man.
‘This felt good. Kinda cathartic in a way. Helps me reconcile some complicated father/son s**t. See ya down the road dad. Let’s get a walk in.’
Dwayne also got to meet actress Ana Tuisila, who plays his late grandmother Lia Maivia, and he found himself having similar emotions as he felt like he was in the presence of another lost member of his family.
‘This is the first time I’ve met Ana. But right now I’m holding my grandma one more time. Looking at her and talking to her one more time. Young Rock is so surreal and has served a greater, deeper purpose far beyond than just entertainment for me,’ he wrote.
‘If you guys have the blessing to have your grandma or grandpa around, make sure you hug em hard because you never know when it could be your last. I love and miss you grandma and one day we’ll dance again. Your Tuife’ai.’
