Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has officially been inducted as a Disney Legend, receiving The Walt Disney Company’s highest honour as part of the 2026 class.
The Rock was inducted during the D23 ceremony at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday. The honour was presented by his Jungle Cruise and The Smashing Machine co-star Emily Blunt, who offered a personal assessment of the former WWE Champion before welcoming him to the stage.
Blunt said the larger-than-life personality associated with The Rock was very different from the man she encountered when they first met.
She described Johnson as “disarmingly wise, gentle, curious, totally unpretentious,” before explaining that his public persona is ultimately a performance.
“He’s a non-conforming, rule-breaking, mold-breaking rebel,” Blunt said.
Johnson had prepared remarks for his induction but decided to put them aside and instead speak directly to the audience about what the recognition meant to him.
“We all do what we can to create moments and experiences of joy for people and their families all around the world,” Johnson said. “That’s important and it means something.”
The Rock Has Been Recognised As A Disney Legend After Starring In Numerous Films For The Entertainment Conglomerate
Disney originally announced The Rock as a member of its 2026 Legends class in March. His lengthy relationship with the company includes starring in Jungle Cruise and Race to Witch Mountain, as well as voicing Maui in the animated Moana films and portraying the character in the live-action adaptation.
Johnson joins an 11-person Disney Legends class that also includes Bob Iger, Anne Hathaway, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Susan Egan and Alan Tudyk.
The former WWE star also used his induction speech to reflect on his family, recalling a visit to Disneyland with his eldest daughter Simone when she was five years old.
Johnson then led the Honda Center crowd in singing Happy Birthday to Simone before acknowledging his younger daughters, Jasmine and Tiana, who were watching the ceremony from home.
The Disney Legends honour adds another accolade to Johnson’s career outside professional wrestling, recognising his contributions to the company across several major film projects.
