Fans of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have been delighted to tune in to the celebrity's new sitcom, Young Rock. Whether he's a favorite as a wrestler, actor, or even voice actor from animated films like Moana, people young and old have been tuning in.
It's obvious from the characters and the fact that Johnson is playing a version of himself (who is running for President in the year 2032) that the series is based at least partially on his real life. Fans seem to be eating it up as well, as the sitcom has already been certified fresh but review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. But there are plenty of things that are worth understanding about the show before tuning in or continuing to watch.
10 It's A Breakout Role For The Star
Through the episodes, three different actors play Johnson at different ages, plus himself in the present-day (or rather, the future). The focus on many of the first few episodes was on the 15-year-old version of Johnson in high school.
This role is played by Bradley Constant, a young up-and-coming actor in his breakout role. He only has a handful of acting credits to date, including video shorts and a 2018 movie called Following Phil. While he is playing a 15-year-old, it makes sense that Constant is 22 in real life since an ongoing joke is that Johnson always looked older than he really was.
9 Talia'uli Latukefu Was In A Reality Singing Competition
Actor Talia'uli Latukefu, who plays the 18-year-old version of Johnson, was actually an aspiring singer before he became an actor. He competed on Australian Idol in 2004, where he resides.
The actor (and singer) is best known for playing Byamba in the Netflix series Marco Polo, but he has other credits including Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant and the miniseries Devil's Playground.
8 It's Based On True Stories
While some stories might be embellished for dramatic–or humorous–effect, for the most part, the sitcom is based on actual events that really happened in Johnson's life growing up as the son of a professional wrestler. It tells the stories of the trials and tribulations he encountered before becoming one of the most beloved pro wrestlers around and an A-list action movie star.
Johnson says he sat down with co-creator Nahnatchka Khan and recalled story after story from his youth. If he remembered different things, he would write them down or call and leave a voice message about yet another unbelievable story. The episodes are framed around these stories. So, while not everything happened exactly as seen, everything is based on Johnson's recollections of moments and events.
7 Yes, He Bought A Car With An Occupant In It
In one of the early episodes, the teenage Johnson is desperate to have a car of his own. When a random man overhears him say this, he offers up his battered car for a steal. Only after driving away does Johnson notice a disheveled man named Waffle in the backseat.
He claims this story is entirely real and that he did, in fact, buy a car on a whim with a man he described as being "sketchy" in the back. What is unknown is whether the man, called Waffle on the show, really did buy Johnson and his friends beer and dole out useful life advice before dying right in front of him.
6 He Is Open To Actually Running For President
The series is framed in the year 2032 where Johnson is sitting down for an interview with former actor and now journalist Randall Park (also playing himself) to tell stories from his life in order to convince the American people that he is relatable to them. Why? Because he has decided to run for president.
While this sounds like it's a great way to set up the sitcom, there is some truth to it. While Johnson hasn't officially announced any campaign plans, he has said in the past that he would be open to running for president one day.
5 Events Might Be Out Of Sequence
While all events depicted in the series (so far) did really happen, Johnson admits that some of them might be out of sequence or might have happened in a different location than portrayed on the show. It all depends on how well each helps the story to follow through the different timelines of Johnson's life since he did move around a lot as a child.
"He's had such a big life…" Nahnatchka told Deadline, "just telling a linear story is sort of doing a little bit of disservice, I kind of wanted to jump around [in time] and he's got the experiences to justify that."
4 It's Streaming On Peacock And Hulu
In addition to being available on NBC week to week, the new sitcom is also streaming on NBC's streaming service Peacock joining Peacock's extensive line-up that also includes original series and lots of shows from different eras, notably the '90s. You can also get episodes on rival streaming service Hulu the day after they air on NBC.
Additionally, Young Rock can be streamed in other places NBC streams, such as fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV.
3 The Sitcom Follows Three Periods In His Life
After listening to Johnson recall many of his crazy life stories, the creators decided on the perfect way to frame the sitcom. It would cover three pivotal time periods in his life: when he was 10, 15, and 18 years old. Three actors were cast to play him at those different ages: Adrian Groulx at 10, Constant at 15, and Latukefu at 18-20.
During each of these time periods, there are important events that shaped Johnson's life and career, such as the time he spent with famous wrestlers as a young child, his first girlfriend and coming-of-age at 15, and his time playing football in his late teens.
2 Johnson Did Buy His Mom That Cadillac
Those who watched the episodes so far will note that Johnson's mother mentioned several times wanting a Cadillac one day when Johnson became famous. Naturally, viewers were wondering: once Johnson did hit it big, did he ever buy her that dream car?
Indeed, he did, and funny enough, he couldn't remember if she really wanted red or white and ended up choosing white. Sadly, the car was totaled by a drunk driver. But being the good son that he is, Johnson replaced it with another Cadillac, this time in the right red hue that she had always wanted.
1 His Father Passed Away Last Year
Johnson's father, the famous professional wrestler Rocky Johnson, is featured prominently on the series, played by Joseph Lee Anderson. Sadly, Johnson, real name Wayde Douglas Bowles, passed away in January 2020.
Taking the title of the first Black Georgia Heavyweight Champion and winner of the World Tag Team Championship in 1983, he and his partner Tony Atlas were the first Black champions ever for the WWE.
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