Few celebrity couples survive a friendly breakup and even fewer manage to maintain their professional relationship. The last category includes the equation created by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia. While the ex-couple divorced nearly 15 years ago, they have collaborated on several occasions in the film industry. In fact, the renowned businesswoman has been Johnson’s manager for many years.
Surprisingly, though, Garcia grew close to and eventually tied the knot with the personal trainer (Dave Rienzi) of the Ballers star. You could be right if you initially thought it was a little awkward. Well, this incident played a significant role in Johnson’s journey toward mental health. The actor admitted to having a second depressive episode in 2008, which coincided with his divorce from Garcia. But at the time, he was still unaware that he had the illness.
Dwayne Johnson Broke Silence About His Depression Struggle
Social expectations make it difficult for people, especially celebrities like Dwayne Johnson, to talk about their struggles, even though there is less of a stigma attached to mental health nowadays. The Black Adam actor spoke frankly about his battle with his “depression” episodes on the podcast The Pivot.
He disclosed to the audience that his initial bout of depression came after a shoulder injury ended his football career at the University of Miami. In his words:
“[I] didn’t want to go to school. I was ready to leave. I left school. I didn’t take any midterms and I just left. But the interesting thing, at that time, is I just didn’t know what it was. I didn’t know what mental health was. I didn’t know what depression was. I just knew I didn’t want to be there. Wasn’t going to any of the team meetings. Wasn’t participating in anything.”
Johnson claimed he was still unaware that he was depressed until he went through a second episode at the time of his 2008 divorce from his ex-wife, Dany Garcia. Nevertheless, the actor claimed that the second time around, he was better prepared and could connect with family:
“Years later, around 2017 or so, went through a little bit. Knew what it was at that time. And luckily, at that time, I had some friends who I could lean on and say, ‘You know, I’m feeling a little wobbly now. Got a little struggle happening. I’m seeing a little gray and not the blue’.”
He added that, despite all of his struggles, “being a girl dad” to his three daughters has always been his “saving grace”. Following his initial meeting with Garcia in the early 1990s, they tied the knot on May 3, 1997. The divorce was finalized in May 2008, but the ex-couple announced their amicable separation on June 1, 2007.
Dwayne Johnson’s Personal Trainer is Dany Garcia’s Second Husband?
More people are familiar with Dave Rienzi’s name because of his relationship with Dwayne Johnson than with the latter’s ex-wife. Apart from being a bodybuilder and Johnson’s personal trainer, Rienzi holds the position of Chief Health & Fitness Brand Officer at The Garcia Companies.
In 2022, he spoke with GQ about Johnson’s Black Adam workout regimen. According to Rienzi, the actor was “trying to get the abs on point while getting those quads to really fly out and cap the shoulders” in addition to working out six days a week and consuming 500 grams of protein through seven meals a day.
Johnson’s supplements were managed by another person or group, but according to Rienzi, he also “prescribed” the actor’s pre-workout mix.
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Well, it is interesting to note that by the time Rienzi met and started dating Dany Garcia, he had already served as Johnson’s trainer for many years. The exact date of their first meeting is unknown, though. Rienzi’s Wikipedia page lacks a timeline detailing when he and his wife became romantically involved, even though they were married in 2014.
As of right now, it does not really matter because Johnson and Garcia seem content in their separate partnerships and happy in their respective career pursuits.
