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Entertainment Now | March 12 - 18, 2022 By Rachel Jones TV Media D wayne "The Rock" Johnson ("Jumanji: Welcome to the Jun- gle," 2017) is a man who needs no introduction. Ex- cept for those who've been liv- ing under a rock (pun not in- tended, but gladly left in), chances are nearly everyone with a television will have heard of the professional wrestler- turned-Hollywood action star. Now, after a successful fresh - man season of "smelling what the Rock is cooking," Johnson's biographical sitcom "Young Rock" returns for Season 2 Tues - day, March 15, on NBC. Created by Johnson and "Don't Trust the B—- in Apart- ment 23's" Nahnatchka Khan, the comedy series follows the legend himself throughout his formative upbringing and on to the year 2032, when Johnson stars as a presidential version of himself; a plot choice that has left many fans of the show (and the man) wondering whether this is a plan he has for the fu - ture. During Johnson's (for now fic- tional) campaign on the show, he sits for a series of interviews that trigger memories from dif- ferent time periods in his life. Given that Johnson is now heading into his 50th year, he can hardly play the younger ver- sions of himself, so this is where Adrian Groulx ("See"), Bradley Constant ("Following Phil," 2018) and Uli Latukefu ("Marco Polo") come in. Groulx plays Johnson at 10 years old; Constant portrays the rising star throughout his teen- age years, attending high school in Pennsylvania; and Latukefu, who also stars alongside John- son in the upcoming film "Black Adam," covers Johnson's life as a young adult while he attends the University of Miami, begin- ning in 1990. It's not all Rock on Rock on Rock, however, as Stacey Leilua ("Love Birds," 2011) is just one of the talented stars who round out the cast of the series. Leilua brings life to the role of Ata Johnson, Dwayne's mother. An inspiration to so many and a classic example of a rags-to- riches story, the Rock began adulthood as a broke 20-year- old. Since then, he's become one of the most well-known profes- sional wrestlers on the planet, and more recently, one of the highest-paid actors in Holly- wood. Given his drive to succeed, it comes as no surprise that John- son has seen the sort of accom- plishment he has, though ac- cording to an interview about the sitcom, Johnson stated that he still doesn't feel like he has done enough. Another good reason to speculate about his potential future run for presi- dent, perhaps? Johnson has long claimed that his world-class drive and determination stems from his childhood experiences, a senti- ment that was backed up by Kahn in an interview with Dead- line: "There's so much that peo- ple don't know about how he got to where he is. I think that's what we're [the cast and crew of "Young Rock"] interested in exploring … the surprising mo- ments and the times where it was really tough for him and his family." By providing insight into Johnson's young life and the making of his mega-career, "Young Rock" allows viewers to engage with his struggles and experiences in a personal way, thus sympathizing with every goal and the drive that helped shaped him into the extraordi- nary celebrity he is today. The first season, which de- buted in February 2021, consist- ed of 11 episodes and ended on a bit of a cliffhanger as (spoil- ers!) 10-year-old Rock's grand- mother, Lia Maivia (Ana Tuisila, "Harry"), was arrested; high school Rock failed to make the NFL; and future Rock may have won the election — the verdict is still out on that one. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see where the second season takes us. While details about the show's second season have re- mained fairly well kept overall, fans can certainly expect to find out the results of the fictional 2032 election and to have a few more stories from his youth brought to life. While Johnson mentioned that his grandmoth- er did beat the charges against her in the end, the story is no doubt a good one that will weave its way into the plot of at least one future episode. In answer to "Young Rock" fans' pleas for more information on his grandma's story, Johnson tweeted: "Well for starters my 'sweet' grandmother was brought on extortion charges from the FBI ... She beat the wrap but the feds came back around and seized all assets. She was homeless two years later." Further proof that there is plenty of mineable material in that storyline. Another plot point that has the attention of many (particu- larly Rock fans up north) is that of his time spent playing in the Canadian Football League. Hon- ing his skills while still dreaming of the NFL, Johnson still also has to cover his foray into the world of wrestling and his battle with depression, something he's been quite open about as an adult. With plenty of material left to dive into, it's possible "Young Rock" will continue for many seasons to come. For now, how- ever, tune in to the March 15 premiere of Season 2 on NBC. And for those who aren't al- ready caught up on the action, all episodes of the series' fresh- man season are available to stream on NBC.com and Hulu. Stacey Leilua and Adrian Groulx star in "Young Rock" Past and future: Dwayne Johnson looks both ways in Season 2 of 'Young Rock' 2 | Cover story A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2"

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