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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s flight from Hawaii to Texas took an unexpected turn when a mid-air emergency forced him to miss an important event.
On Friday, March 28, the 52-year-old actor shared a shocking update with fans on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that his plane encountered a “hydraulics issue” during the flight. The crew discovered the malfunction mid-air, prompting the decision to turn back to Hawaii, which ultimately caused him to miss the United Football League’s (UFL) second-season kickoff in Texas.
In his video message, Johnson explained that the pilot informed him of the situation in a calm but serious manner. “The pilot comes back to me, he gets down on one knee — and it’s just me on the plane, me and the crew,” he said. The pilot then told him, “Mr. Johnson, I’m sorry to inform you but we cannot continue to fly over the ocean, we have a problem.” The actor appreciated the pilot’s “demeanor” in the moment and recalled how they couldn’t continue the flight “especially over the ocean.”
Johnson admitted to feeling a surge of anxiety, recalling, “You can’t help but think…is this it?” during the “really f**king crazy turbulence.” After hearing the news, he humorously requested a “double” drink from the flight attendant, reflecting on life’s priorities while contemplating the gravity of the situation.
Super bummed I can’t be in Texas but so grateful we were able to land the plane safely.So sorry to our @TheUFL fans, players, coaches, staff and our teams at @FOXSports @espn I’m not there.Let’s have a great season 2 opening weekend, have fun, and ball out. pic.twitter.com/9FgwLIUSS5
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 29, 2025
“When you’re back there alone with just your drink…hoping you make it back safely…you start to realize the s**t that’s really important in life… and the s**t that doesn’t matter,” he said in the video.
Fans hopped in the replies to let the Moana star know they’re happy he’s safe.
“Just glad you guys are ok,” one fan said, while another wrote, “safety first.”
A third fan replied “As long as you and your crew is safe and no one is injured, that’s an understandable reason.”
Others accused the Red One actor of not telling the truth. “Stop lying,” one simply accused. “can’t make it… interesting..” quipped another.
Despite the scare, Johnson praised the crew for ensuring a safe return to Hawaii and expressed his regret for missing the UFL event. He captioned the video partly, “Super bummed I can’t be in Texas but so grateful we were able to land the plane safely… Let’s have a great season 2 opening weekend, have fun, and ball out.”
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