Millionaire movie star and former professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could be the next President of the United States.
Electing a celebrity to the US presidency was never quite out of the realm of possibility, at least since the election of former movie star Ronald Reagan in 1980. But as impossible as it seemed that Donald Trump would win with the 2016 election, his star status only helped him during the Republican primaries and, ultimately, in beating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Coupled with the likelihood of former WWE chief executive Linda McMahon serving in Mr Trump's cabinet, Johnson – who Forbes named the highest paid actor in the world – could have an edge.
In an interview this week with Vanity Fair, Johnson, 44, said he may consider a possible 2020 run – although it remains unclear whether he is serious about the ambition.
“I wouldn’t rule it out,” he said. “It would be a great opportunity to help people, so it’s possible. This past election shows that anything can happen.”
Johnson is not very vocal about his politics, although he had been previously registered as a Republican. In 2000, he appeared in character as his wrestling persona during the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia to encourage voter registration – although, not necessarily in favour of a Republican or Democratic candidate, he said.
In July, Johnson responded to the overwhelming swell of support for his possible candidacy.
“As time goes on, [I will] take the temperature of the American people,” he told Good Morning America. “If it is a very real, overwhelming, positive, strong, ‘We want you to run for president’, and I felt that I can step up to the place and become a tremendous leader for our country, and make a real difference and make change, I would do it.”
And if each of his 70.3m Instagram followers decided to cast the vote for the former wrestler, Johnson would have no problem getting into the White House.
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