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Sean Astin to play Dwayne Johnson’s nemesis in Young Rock season 2

Lord of the Rings' Sean Astin is joining TV series Young Rock's second season as the adult version of Dwayne Johnson's childhood nemesis, Dr Echo

Young Rock and Sean Astin

Sean Astin is going from being the potato-loving nicest man in Middle Earth to playing Dwayne Johnson‘s childhood nemesis in Young Rock season 2. The second season returns on March 15 and will continue to explore Johnson’s childhood and young adult life.

Young Rock is set in 2032, in which Johnson (who plays himself) is in the running to be President of the United States. He is interviewed by Randall Park, and tells anecdotes from his childhood. The show splits into three timelines – one following ten-year-old Rock in Hawaii, one following a teenage Rock at a High School in Pennsylvania, and the last one following him as a college football player at the University of Miami. All of these are based on The Rock’s real-life experiences.

The show also shows how Johnson’s life was affected by his father finding wrestling fame and various actors depict wrestlers, including Andre the Giant. Rosario Dawson plays Johnson’s running mate in the 2032 timeline. Season 2 will see Dwayne and his family facing new challenges and meeting new wild characters of professional wrestling, while Dwayne contemplates embracing the grind of professional wrestling himself.

According to Variety, Astin will be; “a recurring guest star for the NBC comedy’s upcoming second season, playing Dr. Julian Echo, in the show’s fast-forwards. Dr. Echo, who had run-ins with Dwayne as a kid, is now a chiropractor from Minnesota who holds a grudge. He reappears two weeks before election day, claiming that Dwayne tried to kill him, a revelation that threatens to derail the Johnson presidential campaign.”

Sean Astin started out as a child and teen actor in the 1980s and early 1990s in the likes of The Goonies, Toy Soldiers and Encino Man. He then famously played Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and more recently appeared in Stranger Things.

If you’re a fan of all things The Rock, check out our guide to the best Dwayne Johnson movies.