Dwayne Johnson Celebrates Late Father's Birthday with Heartfelt Post: 'Wish I Could Hug Him One More Time'

Dwayne Johnson is celebrating his father's birthday, more than four years after his death.

On Saturday, Aug. 24, Dwayne, 52, shared a series of photos on Instagram of himself and his father, the late WWE wrestler Rocky "Soulman" Johnson, to mark what would have been his 80th birthday.

"Happy heavy birthday to the Soulman 🕊️❤️," Dwayne wrote in his lengthy caption, before opening up about his father, who died in 2020 at age 75.

"My old man was a real trailblazer as a pro wrestler coming up in the 60's, 70's & 80's," the Moana actor continued. "As a black athlete he change a lot of people’s racial behaviors over the years with his in ring talent and his insane work ethic in the gym."

"He taught me lessons - good and not good," he continued. "Sometimes that father/son dynamic can be a complicated one, but in the end - it's still love."

Alongside his heartfelt message, Dwayne shared photos of his dad from decades ago training in the gym, posing with his championship belt, snapping a photo alongside bodybuilder Tony Atlas, holding up Dwayne as a kid, and posing with his son as an adult.

Dwayne concluded his caption: "I miss my old man, and wish I could hug him one more time. Happy Birthday Soulman 🥃❤️."

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In the years since his dad's death, Dwayne has been candid about the pair's relationship — even expressing regret that he and Rocky were not on speaking terms at the time of his death.

Back in June 2023, Dwayne posted a video on Instagram in which he acknowledged that he felt "there was something I’d missed" in his Father's Day post shared a few days prior. He added at the time that he was sending his support to "all the fathers out there like me, who on this day, we don’t have the privilege anymore of wishing our own dads a happy Father’s Day."

"My dad taught me 'respect is given when it’s earned, so get out there and earn it,' " Dwayne also said in the video. "Actually, he would say 'so get your a-- out there and earn it.' He made sure I was at the gym, even at 5 years old he was kicking my a-- on the wrestling mats."

In March, Dwayne also reflected on his father's life and legacy, opening up about Rocky's record-breaking milestones in the WWE and posting on Instagram that he was "just delivering flowers to heaven to my old man."

"My dad, along with 'Mr USA,' Tony Atlas made pro wrestling history by becoming the first ever Black Heavyweight Tag Team Champions for the @WWE," Dwayne wrote in the post's caption. "He came up the hard way, and trail-blazed for all of us men of color - in any sport & level of entertainment. But it was also very important to him to pave the way for all men, any color - it didn’t matter."

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"My regret in this life is that I never had a chance to say goodbye to him, because he died suddenly," he continued at the time.

"I regret not reconciling our complicated father/son s--- before I lost him," Dwayne added. "Raised me with tough fatherly love and an even tougher hand. The more I live life, the more grateful I am for it."