Dwayne Johnson and nine other celebrities on dealing with depression
Former wrestler speaks of trauma following his mother’s suicide attempt when he was a teenager










Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has spoken for the first time about his struggles with mental health issues.
In an interview with the Sunday Express, the film star and wrestler talked of battling depression after his dreams of a professional American football career were cut short through injury.
“Struggle and pain is real,” he said. “I was devastated and depressed.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Johnson said the worst time came when he was a teenager and his mother, Ata, attempted suicide after they lost their apartment.
“She got out of the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic,” Johnson said. “I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road.”
The Hollywood A-lister is not the first celebrity to open up about depression.
Here are nine others who have shared their insight into living with mental health problems:
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Breaking news: the rise of ‘smash hit’ rage roomsUnder the Radar Paying to vent your anger on furniture is all the rage but experts are sceptical
-
Did markets’ ‘Sell America’ trade force Trump to TACO on Greenland?Today’s Big Question Investors navigate a suddenly uncertain global economy
-
‘We know how to make our educational system world-class again’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Panama and Canada are caught in a dispute over a copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned