Star Trek icons George Takei and Wil Wheaton have weighed in on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's decision to stay silent when it comes to politics, calling the actor a "coward" for his refusal to speak out.
In an interview with Esquire last month, Johnson was directly asked about speaking out politically, in a manner similar to what we've seen from other celebrities, like Bruce Springsteen.
"What I have learned through experience is that I need to keep — need, not want — the main thing the main thing. And the main thing for me, the thing that in the morning I swing my legs out of bed and I run towards, is creating. It's art. It's storytelling," Johnson said. "I've learned I'm going to keep my politics to myself. There are moments when, hey, there's nothing we can't talk about. If I'm wrong, I'll tell you I'm wrong. Or if I feel like I got a leg up and this is the right way to go, I'll share it with you. Politics is omnipresent and it's forever. I don't like it. [Laughs.] I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bullshit that comes with it. Because when I hear you talk about Springsteen, who I love, and this idea that he's speaking directly to Trump in his concerts, my first thought as you were telling me that, in my head, I went, Oh, then why don't they talk? They should sit down and talk. I don't know where that goes, but I do know that's an important step."
However, in the current cultural landscape, a high-profile figure's choice to remain neutral is frequently met with backlash from those who believe platform-holders have a duty to speak out.
Case in point: recent social media comments made by Star Trek alumni George Takei and Wil Wheaton.
"Silence is complicity," Takei wrote on Threads, referencing Johnson's comments to Esquire.
Wheaton responded to Takei's post: "So disappointing to find out he is such a coward."
In another time, Johnson's decision to keep his political opinions to himself might read as perfectly reasonable. But we live in a politically charged climate where everyone wants to know what every celebrity thinks. And if they have an opinion people don't agree with, they risk being immediately ostracized. That's probably why Johnson wants to remain as neutral as possible, to avoid saying something that could impact his box office results.