The Golden Globes like what The Rock has been cooking.
Simone Garcia Johnson, the 16-year-old daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia, will be the inaugural Golden Globe Ambassador.
In a role formerly known as “Miss Golden Globe,” Johnson follows in the footsteps of Sylvester Stallone’s three daughters, Jamie Foxx’s daughter Corinne Foxx, and other Hollywood offspring like Laura Dern and Dakota Johnson by securing an on-air role in the awards show.
Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Meher Tatna made the announcement Wednesday at the start of a Golden Globes kick-off party at West Hollywood hotspot Catch.
“I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in a household with strong role models and feel so honored to represent the HFPA for its 75th Anniversary,” said Garcia Johnson. “As the newly minted Golden Globe Ambassador, I hope to serve as a role model to young people everywhere and empower them to speak out on issues they are passionate about.”
A Chip Off the Old Rock
Keeping her professional life in the family, Johnson is a model repped by IMG. Her father, the actor-wrestler-potential-2020-presidential-candidate, is a long-time client of sister agency WME, both owned by the newly renamed Endeavor.
While her dad is routinely heralded as one of the kings of social media, Johnson’s in the top 1 perent herself. Socially liberal, she speaks loudly and clearly to her 172,000 Instagram followers on hot topics.
She blasted Star magazine for its treatment of a celebrity’s weight gain, showed support for a Georgia Tech cheerleader taking a knee during the national anthem, and called out Donald Trump’s incitement of violence from his supporters. Her most recent post is a picture of a t-shirt (presumably worn by her) saying, “If fertilized eggs are ‘people’ and refugees aren’t, we have a problem.”
She is also a normal 16-year-old wrestling fan, who rocked a mean Freddy Krueger costume for Halloween. By 2021, she could be First Daughter.
“Shut Your Mouth and Know Your Role”
Unlike her famous dad’s catchphrase, this is exactly what the HFPA does not want Johnson to do.
“As we look forward to the 75th anniversary of the Golden Globe Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association members decided to expand this role to embody the HFPA’s philanthropic efforts year round,” said Tatna.
This dovetails with the HFPA’s increasing emphasis on 12-month visibility throughout the industry.
In recent years, the HFPA has amplified its multi-million dollar donations via a glitzy awards night banquet in August that is amongst the first smoke signals of the awards season to come. This past September on Emmys weekend, they dedicated an HFPA wing at Cal State Northridge. At major film festivals, they host social events at Cannes, TIFF, and London. TV heavyweights like Shonda Rimes, Ryan Murphy, J.J. Abrams, and David E. Kelley recently convened with the HFPA for a panel at the Paley Center. Tonight’s bash at Catch with topline partners like Fiji Water and InStyle is another annual peak.
By spreading out the HFPA’s influence beyond December and January, they are mirroring the TV Academy and BAFTA LA with year-round philanthropic, industry, and awards tentpoles.
Johnson should figure in to these non-televised initiatives as well.
Further, in post-Harvey Hollywood, the title rebrand forecloses the plural “Miss Golden Globes” moniker that invited double entendres and always landed like an icky sub-varsity beauty pageant superlative.
The Golden Globes will air live coast-to-coast on NBC on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2017 from 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Nominees will be revealed on Dec. 11.