'I started bawling': Dwayne Johnson opens up about the shock of Fast & Furious co-star Paul Walker's death and dealing with depression

By Bobbie Whiteman


Even big men cry - and bigger men admit it.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson opened up about the death of his Fast & Furious co-star Paul Walker in November in an interview in The Hollywood Reporter, due out June 27.

The 42-year-old mountain of muscle said he was in Florida, driving with his girlfriend Lauren Hashian, 29, when the news broke.

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Rock crumbles: Dwayne Johnson opened up about his tears following news of Fast & Furious co-star Paul Walker's death and his own battle with depression in an interview with the Hollywood reporter due out Friday

Rock crumbles: Dwayne Johnson opened up about his tears following news of Fast & Furious co-star Paul Walker's death and his own battle with depression in an interview with the Hollywood reporter due out Friday

Best buddies: The 42-year-old bonded with Paul, pictured at the 2011 premiere of Fast Five, over long chats about their daughters

Best buddies: The 42-year-old bonded with Paul, pictured at the 2011 premiere of Fast Five, over long chats about their daughters

'I pulled over and looked at my messages and had a moment where I just caught my breath.

'We said a prayer right then to give his daughter (Meadow) strength — because we had talked about our daughters.

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Muscled up: Dwayne flexes his pecs for THR's front cover portrait

'Both of us were divorced, and we talked about the power of being a dad and the strong connection of a dad and his girl. Then once we got home, we started bawling.'

Dwayne added: 'He was a beautiful man, and in that crazy world, that's really something.'

The star has a 12-year-old daughter, Simone, with his ex-wife and longtime manager, Dany Garcia, 45.

And he may be at the top of his game now, with his movies grossing $1.3 billion in 2013, but Dwayne freely admitted struggling with depression as he tried to break out from his poverty-stricken upbringing.

But it was one terrible bout of depression, when injuries forced the aspiring athlete out of pro-football, that led to the change that kick-started his entertainment career.

'I didn't want to do a thing,' the 6ft 5in star recalled. 'I didn't want to go anywhere. I was crying constantly. Eventually you reach a point where you are all cried out.

He was forced to go home to his parents - and decided to become a wrestler like his dad, Rocky.

Big man: The 6ft 5in star admitted he had terrible bouts of depression as he struggled to better himself, and one of those bouts led him to become a wrestler like his dad, which started him on the path to success

Big man: The 6ft 5in star admitted he had terrible bouts of depression as he struggled to better himself, and one of those bouts led him to become a wrestler like his dad, which started him on the path to success

He went on to become one of the most successful wrestlers in history as bad guy The Rock, with 17 championship reigns

'I loved the showmanship, and I loved the theatricality. It was so entertaining and over-the-top, and I was always mesmerized by these guys.'

Five years after Dwayne started wrestling, a 2000 turn as host on Saturday Night Live got him a part in The Mummy Returns and a host of other movies followed.

Aside from Fast & Furious 7, he has two blockbusters in the offing: MGM-Paramount's sword-and-sandals epic Hercules, due out July 25; and WB's earthquake disaster flick San Andreas, due out 2015, which Dwayne is shooting in Australia.

Epic tale: Dwayne is presently filming the big-budget Hercules in Australia

Epic tale: Dwayne is presently filming the big-budget Hercules in Australia




The comments below have been moderated in advance.

I have seen him do quite a few interviews & he never changes. Just has a fantastic attitude & great personality. Deserves all the success he has got.

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I still can't believe Paul Walker's dead. His and Cory Monteith's deaths were the most shocking deaths of 2013.

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He's just great x

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What a great person, and a beautiful man!

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He's really lovely

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I adore him!!! He posts the most hilarious instagrams and comes across as a truly genuine nice man. #PresidentJohnson #silverback

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He is the modern day Arnie, he is brilliant at what he does and seems a genuinely great guy.

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He's a good, down to earth guy. Doesn't take himself seriously, is honest and you can tell, he works hard. There's not many would say 'I started bawling' and be genuine about it. I've just gained a lot of respect for the man

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Love love Dwanye the Rock, he was a fantastic scorpion king! Considering he and Vin Diesel are of similar build and have similar movies and roles, I'd say he's the better actor, hands down, for real. 7 months gone and still missing you Pablo, RIP xo

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This could have been such a powerful story about depression. To have someone as universally respected and loved as the rock talk about a crippling disease would help the rest of us who suffer from it. Please please please DM do more to highlight what this great man has said. The more people know about depression the better.

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