For years, Hollywood celebrities insisted they wanted people to “use their voice.”

Now one of the biggest stars in entertainment is being criticized for choosing not to.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is facing backlash from fellow celebrities after making clear that he plans to stay out of presidential politics and keep his political preferences private—a decision that, apparently, is no longer acceptable in certain corners of the entertainment world.

The criticism intensified after Johnson reiterated comments that he regretted publicly endorsing Joe Biden in 2020 and would not repeat that approach moving forward.

Among those taking aim was “Star Trek” actor George Takei, who posted on Threads: “Silence is complicity.”

Actor Wil Wheaton went further before later appearing to delete his post, writing: “So disappointing to find out he is such a coward.”

That reaction says as much about modern celebrity culture as it does about Johnson.

The controversy traces back to comments Johnson made in 2024 explaining why he stepped away from political endorsements.

“Am I happy with the state of America right now? Well, that answer is no,” Johnson told Fox News. “Do I believe we’re going to get better? I believe in that. I’m an optimistic guy.”

Reflecting on his endorsement of Biden during the 2020 election, Johnson said he believed at the time he was using his influence responsibly.

“The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one that I thought was the best decision for me at that time,” he said.

But then came the line that seemed to trigger outrage in all the predictable places:

“Am I going to do that again this year? That answer is no.”

Notice what Johnson did not say.

He did not endorse Donald Trump. He did not campaign for Republicans. He did not launch into culture-war rhetoric. He simply decided that being a movie star does not obligate him to function as a political activist.

For some in Hollywood, that was apparently the unacceptable part.

While promoting the upcoming live-action remake of Moana, Johnson expanded on his thinking in an interview with Esquire, saying he has become more intentional about what deserves his public platform.

“What I have learned through experience is that I need to keep — need, not want — the main thing,” Johnson said. “And the main thing for me… is creating. It’s art. It’s storytelling.”

He continued: “I’ve learned I’m going to keep my politics to myself.”

Johnson did not present his choice as fear or retreat. If anything, he described exhaustion with the modern political environment.

“There are moments when, hey, there’s nothing we can’t talk about. If I’m wrong, I’ll tell you I’m wrong,” he said. “Politics is omnipresent and it’s forever. I don’t like it. I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bullsh*t that comes with it.”

That hardly sounds radical.

Yet in an era where public neutrality is increasingly treated as ideological betrayal, declining to participate can provoke more outrage than taking a side.

Johnson has previously described himself as a centrist and had largely stayed away from presidential endorsements before backing Biden in 2020.

The larger lesson may not be about The Rock at all.

For years Americans have watched entertainers demand political conformity while insisting they stand for openness and inclusion. But when a celebrity decides not to repeat the approved script, the response often arrives immediately: silence equals guilt, independence equals cowardice.

Or maybe some people simply decided they would rather make movies than campaign speeches. That part should not be complicated.