Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Opens Up About Depression! Talks About Paul Walker’s Death! [Watch Video]

By Jorge Solis j.solis@mstarsnews.com | Jun 20, 2014 08:01 AM EDT

Known to the public "The Rock," Dwayne Johnson is riding high on having rebooted two franchises, G.I. Joe and Fast & Furious. But there were dark times for the ambitious wrestler-turned-actor when he first thought he would succumb to hopelessness.

To the Hollywood Reporter, the WWE wrestling star talks about keeping the drive going, even when all seems lost. At first, The Scorpion King didn't even think of the Hollywood limelight after his football career ended unexpectedly. Though he was in tip-top shape, the Hercules action star took on a grueling workout schedule, which led to another serious injury.

Director Brett Ratner discusses the moment when he witnessed his Hercules star hurt himself, "I was always worried about burning him out because it's hard to maintain that level of energy. The crazy part is, three weeks before we started shooting, he whips his groin muscle and gets a hernia."

Bones can break and mend themselves, but there are some things the heart cannot handle. The death of his fellow co-star, Paul Walker, hit the people's champion hard and left him in shock. Last November, the Flags of our Father died in a fatal car accident.

The Southland actor remembers their fatherly advice passed on by Walker, "That's what we would talk about. 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."

Check out the behind-the-scenes footage of the THR cover shoot:

Though his friend is gone, Johnson still grieves and thinks about Walker a lot, "He was a beautiful man, and in that crazy world, that's really something."

The Hollywood Reporter magazine, with Dwayne Johnson on the cover, comes out June 27. The Rock opens up about past failures and the loss of a friend.

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