Dwayne Johnson Dedicates Hollywood Critics Association Award to Late Father in Emotional Tribute

Dwayne Johnson is remembering his late father Rocky just over a year after his death at the age of 75.

Johnson, 48, received the Trailblazer Award at Friday’s 4th annual Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards, dedicating the award to his dad in an emotional acceptance speech.

His comments at the virtual awards ceremony followed a short video documenting the actor’s support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as his donations to frontline workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s the anchoring reminder that if we’re lucky enough and fortunate enough to be in a position where you can make someone feel good and you can create moments for them that they will never forget for the rest of their lives — that is power,” Johnson said, admitting that watching the clip made him “emotional.”

“It doesn’t matter what’s in your bank account, or what kind of car you drive. That s— doesn’t matter. It’s just how you make people feel,” the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star added..

“I’m going to dedicate this trailblazer award to my dad, my old man who died a little over a year ago,” he said at the end of the speech.

“Man, that guy was a trailblazer,” he continued. “As complicated as our relationship was — our father/son relationship, tough love, tough love — he was a trailblazer because what trailblazers do is change people’s behavior. And he did everything he could to send people home happy.”

Rocky, a WWE Hall of Famer, died in January 2020 of a heart attack, Johnson revealed at the time.

He was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1944 as Wayde Douglas Bowles and began wrestling at the age of 16 before retiring 1991 and later training his son to become a wrestler.

“Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side,” Johnson said in an Instagram tribute just after his death. “But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we know it’s just pain and it’ll pass.”