Dwayne Johnson was officially inducted as a Disney Legend on Sunday, joining the 2026 class honored at D23 in Anaheim. The induction, the Walt Disney Company’s highest honor, was presented by Johnson’s “Jungle Cruise” and “The Smashing Machine” co-star Emily Blunt.
Blunt told the Honda Center crowd that the bravado of The Rock character was nowhere to be found when she first met Johnson, describing him instead as “disarmingly wise, gentle, curious, totally unpretentious.” She added that his persona is a performance. “He’s a non-conforming, rule-breaking, mold-breaking rebel,” she said.
Johnson said he set aside his prepared remarks to speak from the heart. “We all do what we can to create moments and experiences of joy for people and their families all around the world,” he said. “That’s important and it means something.”
A Career Two Decades In The Making
Sunday’s honor caps a run that began when Disney first announced Johnson as part of the 2026 Legends class back in March, and follows Johnson’s emotional reaction to the news at the time. His Disney ties date back years, spanning “Jungle Cruise,” “Race to Witch Mountain,” and his voice role as Maui in both the animated and live-action “Moana” films. He is part of an 11-person 2026 class that includes Bob Iger, Anne Hathaway, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Susan Egan and Alan Tudyk.
During his speech, Johnson also turned personal, recalling a trip to Disneyland with his eldest daughter Simone when she was five years old. He capped the moment by leading the crowd in a chorus of Happy Birthday for her, then shouted out his younger daughters, Jasmine and Tiana, who watched from home.
