At the 2026 ABFF Honors held in Los Angeles on February 16, actor Dwayne Johnson opened up about what makes him anxious in both his personal and family life. The Moana star, responding to questions from PEOPLE, revealed that messages from his wife without emojis trigger a nervous reaction, linking this to his deeper worries as a father.
Johnson emphasized that his biggest concern remains the safety and well-being of his children, particularly his daughters. The issue of missing emojis in texts is a lighter but telling example of his sensitivity to his family relations, highlighting how much he treasures communication cues from loved ones.
Fatherhood Brings Constant Concern for Johnson
Johnson, 53, expressed that parenthood, especially raising daughters, fills him with persistent unease.
“My babies make me nervous. Yeah, my little girls make me nervous,”
he said, acknowledging both his adult and young daughters in the remark. He explained that the unpredictable nature of life, combined with the pressures and turbulence of the modern world, weighs on him deeply.
He elaborated,
“I have all girls, adult girls, little girls. It kind of makes me nervous because you just never know how things are going to shake out. So this idea that the world is crazy and it’s loud and there’s a lot of pushing and pulling, and there’s a lot of pressure for not only adults but also kids as well. It gets me a little nervous as a dad.”
As he received the Entertainment Icon Award at the ceremony, Johnson reflected on his role as a father, stating,
“I just want to make sure that I’m there doing the right things, saying the right things, raising them right with the value system and a structure that they could take on the rest of their life. That makes me nervous.”
How Missing Emojis From His Wife’s Texts Heighten His Anxiety
Along with his heartfelt concerns about parenting, Johnson shared a more humorous insight into his anxieties related to day-to-day interactions with his wife, Lauren Hashian. The actor joked,
“Another thing that makes me nervous is if I get texts from my wife and there’s no emojis. Then I’m like, ‘Oh, s—, what did I do?’ … If I don’t see those emojis, I get nervous.”
Johnson and Hashian have been married since 2019, and they share two daughters, Jasmine, 10, and Tiana, 7. The couple met in 2006 while working on his film The Game Plan and began their relationship the following year after his divorce from ex-wife Danny Garcia, with whom he has another daughter, Simone, 24.
Lauren Hashian’s Background and Confidence Journey
Lauren Hashian, 41, hails from Massachusetts and earned her degree in public relations and communications from Emerson College in Boston. Besides being a singer, she has preferred roles behind the scenes within the entertainment industry, such as positions at Warner Music Group and in Paramount Pictures’ music division.
Reflecting on her personal growth through motherhood, Hashian told Billboard in late 2021,
“I was too shy of a kid, and I really wasn’t not shy until … I became a mother. And then I felt way more confident in my own body and my own feelings. It was like, ‘Well, you can’t be scared of anything anymore, because you don’t want to teach your kids that, right?’”
She has also continued releasing music, including the 2024 single “Speed It Up,” a collaboration with Junior Sanchez.
Johnson’s Earlier Thoughts on Finding Love Again
Back in 2012, Johnson spoke about the rarity of falling in love twice, especially given his public status.
“I was so fortunate to have fallen in love once,”
he said then.
“To fall in love again? That’s a hard thing to do twice in the position I’m in. I’m one lucky son of a b—.”
This sentiment adds depth to his relationship with Hashian and highlights the importance he places on family and emotional connection.
What These Insights Reveal About Johnson’s Priorities
Johnson’s openness about his anxiety around parenting and communication with his wife reveals the complexities behind his public persona. His worries underscore how seriously he takes his roles as a father and husband, always mindful of guiding his children through a challenging world. Meanwhile, the small detail of missing emojis illustrates the importance he places on emotional connection and clear signals within his closest relationships.
Moving forward, Johnson’s reflections suggest that family will remain central to both his public statements and personal life, especially as he continues to balance his career and fatherhood in the years ahead.
