“I used to be the people’s champion, but now? Now, I can barely look myself in the mirror. ”

Dwayne Johnson’s rise to fame seemed unstoppable.

From wrestling in the WWE to becoming one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, Johnson was a force to be reckoned with.

He was the perfect combination of charm, talent, and physicality.

The Rock was everywhere—whether in action-packed blockbusters like Fast and Furious, Jumanji, or The Scorpion King, or motivating millions on social media with his #GetUp and workout posts, he was adored by fans and respected in the industry.

But behind the scenes, his career and personal life were beginning to show signs of strain.

Dwayne Johnson’s transition from professional wrestling to Hollywood stardom was almost seamless.

Fans who knew him as “The Rock” in the ring followed him to the big screen, where he became known for his roles in The Mummy Returns, Fast and Furious, and The Rundown.

His affable personality, combined with his talent for both comedy and action, made him a household name.

But it wasn’t just his acting skills that helped propel him to the top—it was his ability to create an image of the “everyman” who had risen from humble beginnings.

He often spoke about his struggles and his success, positioning himself as a symbol of perseverance.

As his career progressed, however, The Rock’s persona began to shift.

Fans noticed something odd happening on the set of Fast and Furious 8 in 2017.

Johnson publicly feuded with Vin Diesel, a longstanding member of the franchise.

The Rock went so far as to accuse some of his co-stars of unprofessional behavior on set, taking to social media to call them out.

He even referred to some male co-stars as “candy asses,” leading to public tensions that the media eagerly covered.

While this was chalked up as just “on-set drama,” it marked the beginning of a more toxic side to The Rock’s public persona.

He had always been known as the professional, but here, cracks were showing—his ego was starting to take over, and the humility that made him so likable began to disappear.

The Rock’s feud with Vin Diesel escalated when Universal announced that Johnson would star in his own Fast and Furious spin-off movie, Hobbs and Shaw, alongside Jason Statham.

The movie was a hit at the box office, grossing over $700 million.

But to many fans, it felt like The Rock had hijacked the franchise for himself, leaving Vin Diesel behind and taking control of a series that had started as his.

Despite the success of the spin-off, the move left many fans upset, feeling that the true heart of the franchise was being overshadowed by The Rock’s desire for control.

The movie featured over-the-top action and dialogue that felt disconnected from the original franchise’s roots.

For fans, this was a glaring example of The Rock’s self-interest eclipsing his previous role as a team player.

In 2021, The Rock entered the world of superheroes with the release of Black Adam, a film that he hoped would be his gateway into dominating the DC Extended Universe.

The Rock pushed hard for Black Adam to be integrated into the larger DC universe, specifically wanting his character to be as powerful as Superman.

He famously refused to include Shazam in the plot, despite the natural connection between Black Adam and Shazam in the comics.

This move raised eyebrows, as fans and experts pointed out that The Rock’s behavior seemed more about boosting his own ego than staying true to the comic’s narrative.

Despite all the hype and promise, Black Adam underperformed at the box office, bringing in only $390 million against a $260 million budget.

Critics slammed the film for being generic, with many calling out The Rock’s portrayal of Black Adam as a power-hungry character who lacked depth.

In a desperate attempt to save face, The Rock tried to claim the film was profitable, but the numbers simply didn’t add up.

His attempts to spin the narrative only made things worse.

Instead of acknowledging the failure, he doubled down and posted misleading financial data to support his claims.

After the disappointment of Black Adam, The Rock’s next big attempt at redemption came in 2024 with the holiday blockbuster The Red One, which was meant to be his next major franchise.

However, once again, his behavior on set became an issue.

Reports surfaced that The Rock frequently showed up late, forced the crew to work around him, and even refused to go to the bathroom in a public restroom, opting instead to urinate in a water bottle.

His attitude on set cost Amazon millions in re-shoots and rescheduling, and the film’s release was delayed.

When the film finally dropped, it grossed only $189 million, barely covering its $250 million budget.

Once again, The Rock’s brand of arrogance and self-interest had led to a failed project.

Dwayne Johnson had built his career on being the “people’s champion.

” But over the years, his public image began to crumble.

His need for control and his obsession with maintaining his brand began to overshadow his talent.

From the infamous feud with Vin Diesel to his self-centered antics on the Black Adam set, The Rock’s need to dominate the conversation was clear.

The backlash against him continued to grow as his ego became more difficult to ignore.

As fans and critics began to see through his facade, The Rock found himself losing the very thing he had worked so hard to achieve: public trust.

In September 2025, at the Venice Film Festival, Dwayne Johnson made a shocking appearance.

Gone was the muscular, larger-than-life physique that had defined him for years.

Instead, The Rock appeared leaner, smaller, and almost unrecognizable.

While some saw it as a healthy transformation, others speculated that it was the result of a health scare, possibly due to years of steroid use.

For many, this dramatic weight loss signaled the end of the Rock’s “superhuman” persona.

Was this a genuine shift in lifestyle, or just another attempt to rebrand himself as the “good guy” after years of public missteps?

Dwayne Johnson’s story is a cautionary tale of ego, excess, and the price of fame.

He went from being the “people’s champion” to a figure consumed by self-interest and control.

From the fall of Black Adam to the chaos of The Red One, The Rock’s career has been marked by missteps, both on and off the screen.

For someone who once embodied hard work and humility, his transformation into Hollywood’s self-made superstar has come at a cost.

Whether he can reclaim his reputation or continue down this path of arrogance and ego is yet to be seen.

But one thing is clear: Hollywood is a fickle industry, and those who once dominated it can just as easily fall from grace.