Dwayne Johnson is currently one of the highest-paid actors on the planet. He’s a massive, muscle-bound mogul who sells tequila by the gallon and commands millions for a single Instagram post. But before the blockbusters and the billion-dollar brand, there was a photo. You know the one. It’s the mid-90s. Dwayne has a full head of hair. He’s wearing a black turtleneck tucked into high-waisted blue jeans. There’s a silver chain draped over the fabric, and, most importantly, a leather fanny pack resting right against his waist. Oh, and he’s leaning against a banister with a piece of tissue paper under his elbow to protect his shirt.
The Rock in a turtleneck has become more than just a funny old picture; it is a cultural touchstone that refuses to die.
Honestly, it’s hard to look at that image and reconcile it with the guy who plays Black Adam or leads the Fast & Furious franchise. It’s a time capsule of 1994, captured during his days as a struggling football player turned aspiring wrestler. Back then, he wasn't "The People's Champ." He was just a guy trying to look "cool" by the standards of the era, unintentionally creating the blueprint for the most relatable celebrity meme in history.
The Anatomy of a Fashion Disaster
Why does this specific photo resonate so deeply? It’s the contrast.
The turtleneck itself is tight—very tight. It accentuates a physique that was already impressive, yet the styling choices immediately undercut any sense of "toughness." Then there’s the fanny pack. In the 90s, fanny packs were ubiquitous, but seeing one strapped to a future action hero adds a layer of suburban dad energy that feels incredibly out of place.
Dwayne has actually talked about this photo many times. He told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that at the time, he thought he looked "badass." He really did. He felt he was "killing the game." Looking back, he’s the first person to admit that the "game" was actually killing him. The detail about the tissue paper under the elbow? That was his own idea. He didn't want the banister to get his turtleneck dirty. That level of preciousness from a man who would go on to bench press 400 pounds is what makes it gold.
Why The Rock in a Turtleneck Never Fades
The internet loves a glow-up. We are obsessed with seeing where people started versus where they ended up. The Rock in a turtleneck represents the ultimate "before" picture. It humanizes a man who often feels like a manufactured superhero.
In a world where celebrities curate every single frame of their lives, this photo feels accidental and honest. It’s a reminder that even the most successful person you know once had a terrible haircut and made questionable wardrobe choices. It’s comforting.
Social media thrives on this kind of nostalgia. Every few months, the photo goes viral again. People recreate it for Halloween. Jeff Bezos did it. Seth Rogen did it. Even Dwayne himself recreated it for Saturday Night Live in 2017, wearing a nearly identical outfit, right down to the fanny pack and the slightly pained expression.
Cultural Impact and the "Cringe" Factor
We talk a lot about "cringe" culture today. Usually, cringe is something we use to mock people. But with Dwayne Johnson, the cringe is celebratory.
It works because he owns it.
If he were defensive about the photo, it would have disappeared years ago. Instead, he leans into it. He uses it as a tool for his own branding, showing he’s "one of us." This is a masterclass in celebrity PR. By being the first person to laugh at the turtleneck, he takes the power away from the "haters" and turns the image into a symbol of authenticity.
The image also speaks to the specific aesthetics of the 1990s. That decade was a weird transition period between the neon chaos of the 80s and the baggy minimalism of the early 2000s. The turtleneck-plus-chain combo was a genuine trend in certain circles, particularly in the hip-hop and bodybuilding communities of the time. Dwayne wasn't an outlier; he was just a victim of his era.
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The Business of Being Relatable
There is a reason why The Rock in a turtleneck is still relevant in 2026. It’s the "approachable giant" archetype.
In the early 2000s, Johnson’s team tried to mold him into a traditional leading man. They wanted him to lose weight, stop talking about wrestling, and change his name. It didn't work. His career only truly exploded when he went back to being "The Rock"—the guy with the huge personality who wasn't afraid to be goofy.
The turtleneck photo is the visual representation of that shift. It says, "I am a massive movie star, but I am also this guy with the fanny pack." This duality is exactly what makes him so bankable. Fans don't just want to see him win; they want to feel like they could have a beer with him. Or at least ask him what he keeps in the fanny pack. (For the record, he told Fallon it was usually "pop-tarts and condoms," though he might have been joking about the latter).
Real Lessons from a Fashion Fail
If you’re looking for a takeaway from the saga of the turtleneck, it’s about the power of self-deprecation.
Most people spend their lives trying to hide their "fanny pack" moments. We delete old Facebook photos. We untag ourselves from awkward college pictures. Dwayne Johnson did the opposite. He made his most awkward moment a part of his global identity.
- Own your history. You can't outrun your past, especially in the digital age. If you embrace your mistakes or your "cringe" moments, people can't use them against you.
- Context is everything. The photo is funny now because of who he is now. If he hadn't become a star, the photo would just be a weird picture in a family album. The "glow-up" requires the "glow-down" to exist first.
- Be wary of trends. If you’re wearing something today because "everyone else is," there is a 100% chance you will look back on it in 20 years and wonder what you were thinking.
- Authenticity sells. People crave realness. A grainy photo from 1994 has more marketing power than a $10 million professional photoshoot because it feels earned and true.
Next time you see an old photo of yourself and feel that wave of embarrassment, remember Dwayne. He was a 6'5" man in a tiny turtleneck with a silver chain and a dream. If he can survive that, you can survive whatever haircut you had in 2012.
The fanny pack isn't a burden. It's an opportunity. Embrace the cringe and use it to build your own banister-leaning empire.