While in an interview promoting his new Disney film Jungle Cruise, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shared a heartwarming story about WWE legend Bret Hart and the effect that Hart had on him as a young wrestler. Johnson might be one of the biggest superstars in the world now in wrestling and acting, he is always conscious to credit those who helped him along the way. In an interview with Screenrant, Johnson noticed that his interviewer Joseph Deckelmeier was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “The Hitman,” which was Hart’s nickname in the ring.
“One thing before we leave, and you’ll appreciate this,” Johnson said to Blunt. “The T-shirt he’s wearing, is [of] a guy who didn’t have to be, but he was so good to me when I was a rookie professional wrestler, and his name was Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. He comes from a very famous wrestling family. But at that time, he was World Champion and there were a lot of guys in that world at that time, in ’96, that didn’t necessarily embrace me.”
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. @TheRock is a true classic act. He took the time to not only pay his respects to @BretHart but he explain the impact The Hitman’s had on his pro-wrestling career to Emily Blunt. This is by far the greatest moment I’ve had doing this… Thank you, Rock! https://t.co/I38XoUFuDt pic.twitter.com/vi7htwOsEe
— Joseph Deckelmeier #BlackLivesMatter (@Joelluminerdi) July 30, 2021
Johnson continued, explaining that the then-WWF was extremely competitive and that Hart was kind when there were “a lot of sharks in the water, but that guy, Bret, and he was World Champion, showed me how it’s done.” When Blunt asked why Hart was so helpful, Johnson cited their similar family investment in wrestling. “I think it’s because our families knew each other, he knew that I came from a lineage of pro-wrestling and that I had a real love and respect for wrestling. And he was just a great guy, and I always like to give him props where I can.”
Johnson is a member of the Anoa’i family, including his grandfather, ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia, The Wild Samoans (Sika and Afa), Rikishi, Yokozuna, current WWE SmackDown Tag-Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso), and current WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Hart was the son of Stu Hart, whose 12 children all either became wrestlers or married wrestlers. Hart’s late brother Owen was also a wrestling superstar.
