The Rock Coached His Youngest Daughter to Say “Daddy Is the Best”
Things didn't go exactly to plan.
In his continued quest to be as relatable as a 6′ 5″, 270-pound action star can be, Dwayne Johnson posted an adorable video of himself and his youngest daughter, Tia Gianna, who turns two next month.
The crux of the video, posted in observation of International Women’s Day, is the Rock asking Tia to repeat phrases of affirmation. She dutifully obliges to the best of her ability, which means plenty of cute kid mispronunciations of words.
After Tia says “I’m a pretty girl,” Johnson follows up with “But more importantly than that, can you say ‘I’m an awesome girl’?” He follows that up with “I’m a smart girl,” “I’m a very smart girl,” and “I can do anything.”
It’s at this point that the video turns into a father-daughter comedy skit. The Rock makes a show of looking around, saying “Where’s your mother?” When he’s sure the coast is clear, he asks Tia to repeat one more phrase: “Daddy’s the best.”
“Daddy’s the best,” she replies before yelling “Mother!” much to his mock chagrin.
“No, not mother, you’re ruining the thing,” he replies, making a joke about his own artificiality on social media that somehow makes him even more genuine, because what parent hasn’t dealt with an uncooperative kid when you’re just trying to make them do something cute.
The video is not the first time that Tia Gianna has found social media stardom. She made her Instagram debut as a newborn, in a photo that showed her massive dad cradling her tiny body. It’s the same photo that became fodder for a Photoshop war between The Rock and Kevin Hart.
The Rock pulled off a similar bit a year ago, in which Tia — sucking on a pacifier the entire time — points to a picture of Barack Obama on a sheet with every president’s portrait when her dad asks “Where’s dadda?” before becoming unresponsive again because hey, she’s an infant.
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