Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson recently opened up on the emotional challenges he faced during his divorce from ex-wife Dany Garcia. The couple, who were married for 16 years, separated in 2007. For Johnson, the split was not just about ending a marriage but also about how it would affect their daughter, Simone, now 24.
“When you guys get married, as a few of you may know, you sign up for the long haul, but then it doesn’t always work out like that,” Johnson said on the November 6 episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. “And then it rocks you like it rocked me. And we had a baby, and what kind of father was I going to be?”
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Mental health and career choices
Johnson admitted that his divorce was really tough on his mental health, and he hit a bad patch with depression. “At that time I was really going through it,” he said.
It influenced his career choices as well. After the split, Johnson made a conscious effort to go for lighter, family-friendly type roles in films like The Game Plan and Tooth Fairy. “I was trying to figure my stuff out, and that was the only thing that I really wanted to do artistically,” he explained. “I didn’t want anything that was going to challenge me to rip my guts out. I wanted stuff that has a happy ending, and so that’s what that was.”
Even though the roles were chosen for personal reasons, Johnson said he genuinely enjoyed making these films. “I loved making those movies,” he said.
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Co-parenting and business partnership
Despite the challenges, Johnson and Garcia were able to keep their co-parenting relationship remarkably intact. They also managed to build a super successful business partnership. They co-founded Seven Bucks Productions and went on to work together for over a decade as producing partners.
“While marriage wasn’t in our cards, we did realize, ‘Well, wait a second, we’re building something that’s pretty cool,’” Johnson said in 2022 on the Sway’s Universe podcast.
New beginnings
Today, Johnson is happily married to Lauren Hashian, with whom he shares daughters Jasmine, 9, and Tiana, 6. His journey demonstrates that even difficult personal experiences can lead to growth, positivity, and new beginnings, both personally and professionally.
FAQs
1. Why did Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia divorce?
Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia divorced in 2007 after 16 years of marriage. The split was a personal decision, and they have since maintained a strong co-parenting and professional relationship.
2. How did the divorce affect Dwayne Johnson?
The divorce was emotionally challenging for Johnson. He experienced depression during that time and chose lighter, family-friendly movies like The Game Plan and Tooth Fairy to focus on positivity.
3. What is Dwayne Johnson’s relationship with Dany Garcia now?
Despite their divorce, Johnson and Garcia co-parented their daughter, Simone and worked together professionally. They co-founded Seven Bucks Productions and continue to collaborate successfully in business.
