Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson for president? The actor said he would launch White House bid if people want him

An online public opinion poll found 46 per cent of Americans would consider voting for the former professional wrestler

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has said he would make a bid for the White House if people want him to after a poll showed 46 per cent of Americans would vote for him. Reuters

Fast & Furious star Dwayne Johnson said on Monday that he would run for US President if he felt he had enough support from Americans.

Johnson, 48, one of the highest-paid and most popular actors in the US, has been flirting with a possible White House bid for several years.

"I do have that goal to unite our country and I also feel that if this is what the people want, then I will do that," Johnson said when asked about his presidential ambitions in an interview broadcast on the Today show.

The former professional wrestler did not say which party he would represent or when he might launch any bid for the White House.

His remarks follow an online public opinion poll released last week by consumer trends company Piplsay that found around 46 per cent of Americans would consider voting for Johnson.

Johnson, known as "The Rock", said he was humbled by the poll.

"I don’t think our Founding Fathers ever envisioned a six-four, bald, tattooed, half-Black, half-Samoan, tequila-drinking, pick-up truck-driving, fanny pack-wearing guy joining their club – but if it ever happens it’d be my honour to serve you, the people," he said in an Instagram posting.

Johnson, whose work includes the rebooted Jumanji movie franchise and the TV show Young Rock, joins a long list of American celebrities who have run for political office, including former The Apprentice star Donald Trump, who became the 45th US president.

Magic Mike actor Matthew McConaughey and former Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner are reported to be weighing potential runs for governor in Texas and California, respectively.

Imran Khan, Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Amitabh Bachchan and Glenda Jackson are a few other celebrities who launched successful political campaigns around the world.

In the Philippines, action movie star Joseph "Erap" Estrada was voted in as president from 1998 to 2001, while in Liberia, international footballer George Weah was elected president in 2018, a position he still holds.