Dwayne Johnson says 'lessons learned' over Maui fund backlash

Two months ago, Dwayne Johnson partnered with Oprah Winfrey to ask the public for donations for Maui wildfire survivors. They were blasted for that. Now, the former is acknowledging the backlash.

Sharing a clip on Instagram, the Fast and Furious star said, “When we first launched the fund, there was some backlash,” the former WWE performer continued. “I get it, and I completely understand, and I could’ve been better. And next time I will be better.”

Acknowledging the people's stressed financial conditions, The Rock said, “money ain’t falling out of the sky, and it’s not growing on trees, and there’s a lot of people out there who’s living paycheck to paycheck. And I get it, and I know what that’s like.”

Notwithstanding the pair’s $10 million donations to kick off the fund, the 51-year-old admitted, “The last thing you want to hear when you are living from paycheck to paycheck is someone asking you for money, especially when the person asking you for money already has a lot of money.”

Noting, “I get it, I understand. I’ve never launched a fund before, but I’m a quick study and lesson learned.”

In early August, a deadly wildfire swept the island of Maui, called the deadliest wildfire in over 100 years in the US; it perished more than 100 people and displaced 6,000.