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Dwayne Johnson sparks Taylor Swift fan backlash after Instagram account appears to like video attacking her musical abilities
The post took a swipe at her singing, dancing and songwriting, comparing her unfavourably with music icons Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin.
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Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock, is facing backlash from Taylor Swift's fans after his verified Instagram account appeared to like a video criticising the singer. The post took a swipe at her singing, dancing and songwriting, comparing her unfavourably with music icons Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin. The interaction has left her fans surprised, given his history of openly praising Swift and showing support for her music.
The post that got Swifties talking
The video was openly critical of Taylor Swift's singing, dancing and songwriting, with its caption reading: "She's not a good singer. She's not a good dancer. She's not a good songwriter. So what is she? If not a carefully crafted fake?" The post has left fans questioning why Dwayne Johnson's account appeared to engage with content that takes such a harsh swipe at the singer.
Whether the like was intentional remains unclear. Some fans believe it could have been an accidental tap, while others find it difficult to make sense of the interaction, given his past support for the singer.
One user on X wrote, “did not expect that from Dwayne Johnson...I am extremely disappointed in him especially how he seemed to be supportive and included in her career....maybe it was an accident idk :(.” Another user wrote, “Mind you she has been nothing but nice to him. And he was in her MUSIC VIDEO. Like what has she done to you all. First it was RIHANNA and now HIM? They really despise a successful beautiful and nice woman being on top."
Not everyone is convinced that he deliberately liked the video. Some have suggested that it could have happened accidentally while scrolling, while others have wondered whether a member of his social media team was responsible. The actor and his representatives have not publicly commented on the matter, and the like was reportedly still visible at the time of reporting.
Why Johnson's past support matters
For the fans, the apparent like is hard to reconcile with Dwayne and Taylor's history. In 2015, Dwayne performed a lip-sync rendition of Taylor's hit Shake It Off on Lip Sync Battle. He later voiced the male character in her self-directed music video for The Man.
Dwayne also featured Bad Blood (Taylor's Version) in his animated film DC League of Super-Pets. In 2024, he publicly praised Taylor, calling her “the biggest star” in the world. He had even shared how he personally reached out to her to help a close friend get tickets to her Eras Tour.
Dwayne Johnson's upcoming projects
Dwayne has several projects lined up. He will return to the big screen with Jumanji: Open World, the third film in the rebooted franchise, which is set to hit theatres on December 25, 2026.
He will also star in Free Byrd, directed by Greg Kwedar of Sing Sing fame. Dwayne plays a Las Vegas motorcycle stuntman who is hiding a dementia diagnosis. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are backing the drama through their production banner, Artists Equity.
Another project in the works is Lizard Music, which will see Dwayne reunite with Benny Safdie. The fantasy film reportedly required him to undergo extensive prosthetic work to play Chicken Man, a 70-year-old character. The film is expected to release in 2027.
Taylor Swift's latest musical chapter
Meanwhile, Taylor continues to keep fans talking with her music. Her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, was released in October 2025, followed by a deluxe version, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, in September 2026. The expanded edition featured four new tracks: Patient Zero, Cleveland!, Pink Clouding, and Babylon.
