Simone Alexandra Garcia Johnson, the 24-year-old daughter of actor and former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, drew renewed criticism after reposting a message on social media following the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Johnson, who performs in WWE under the stage name Ava Raine, shared an Instagram repost that read, "If you want people to have kind words when you pass, you should say kind things when you're alive," and later reiterated the sentiment on X, writing, "And I'll stand behind this. Be kind, now more than ever." The comments followed Kirk's death on Wednesday after he was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University.
The posts prompted swift backlash from some fans and commentators who said the remarks were insensitive in the immediate aftermath of a killing. WWE has not issued a public statement about Johnson's posts. According to Ringside News, several people within WWE viewed an earlier social media post from Johnson as "ill-advised," and some cited sensitivity because WWE's parent company, TKO Group Holdings, is led by Ari Emanuel, who is Jewish.
Johnson, the eldest daughter of Johnson and his ex-wife Dany Garcia, debuted in WWE in 2022 and adopted the ring name Ava Raine. She comes from a multi‑generation wrestling family that includes her father, her late grandfather Rocky Johnson and her great‑grandfather, Peter Maivia. After a brief in‑ring run, she was named general manager of WWE's NXT brand, making her the youngest person to serve in that role in the company’s history. She has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on social platforms and often uses her accounts to promote women’s wrestling and WWE talent.
Her most recent posts are the latest in a string of politically charged statements that have drawn attention. In May 2024 she shared a poster on her Instagram Story calling for an "end [to] Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine," and shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks she reposted a donation link aimed at providing aid to Palestinians. She has also posted in support of Black Lives Matter, gun reform and transgender visibility, and has publicly criticized figures such as Andrew Tate and, in one reply to a social media comment, former Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Johnson has previously taken part in public debate over reproductive rights and gun policy. Following the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022, she urged followers to vote out what she described as "pro life legislators" and criticized elected officials she blamed for failing to act on gun violence.
Some critics of the recent post pointed to a broader media environment in which commentators and analysts have faced swift consequences for statements made after the Kirk killing. In recent days, several high‑profile commentators and columnists were reported to have been removed from their positions after posting reactions to the shooting, a development that has intensified discussion about where employers draw lines around employees’ public statements.
Representatives for WWE, TKO Group Holdings and Johnson did not respond to requests for comment. The Rock has himself made public political endorsements in the past, and Johnson’s social media activity continues to draw attention because of the family’s profile and her rising role within WWE.
The incident highlights the way performers with large platforms are increasingly scrutinized for political commentary outside their professional roles. Johnson’s supporters and detractors alike point to her visibility within wrestling and entertainment as a factor shaping the reaction to her posts.