St Gregory Students Surprise Meet Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson at Moana Event

St Gregory Primary School pupils in Sudbury were surprised by a visit from Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson during a Moana event in London, after a viral video caught his attention.

Unforgettable Encounter for St Gregory Primary Pupils

Students from St Gregory Primary School in Sudbury experienced an extraordinary surprise when their school trip to London unexpectedly included a personal meeting with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the wrestler-turned-Hollywood star.

Approximately 50 pupils from Years 3 and 4 visited the capital on Tuesday, initially expecting a traditional excursion. Instead, they attended the Moana Experience, an immersive event promoting the forthcoming live-action adaptation of the popular 2016 film.

The highlight was meeting the actor portraying Maui, Dwayne Johnson himself, leaving the children "speechless" with excitement.

A selfie-style image taken by The Rock – a man wearing glasses and smiling. Next to and behind him is a group of schoolchildren. They are cheering, smiling and shouting. They are wearing red and white school uniforms. — Image caption, The children said they were left "speechless" when they met The Rock

The Rock Engages with Students at the Event

Johnson took time to interact with the pupils during the event, sharing his enthusiasm for the encounter.

A group of schoolchildren wearing red uniforms standing in front of The Rock – a man wearing a cream jumper and white trousers and sunglasses. — Image caption, The Rock took time to speak to the students at the event

"It was awesome [to meet them] and they were losing their minds and going bonkers and going crazy," he told the BBC. "That's the fun part of fame and the best part of fame. This kind of stuff is important."

Event Organized Through Collaboration

The Moana Experience took place at Potters Field Park beside the River Thames and was arranged by Disney in partnership with the school's headteacher, Daniel Woodrow.

This collaboration followed a social media video created by the pupils in January, aimed at capturing The Rock's attention.

Woodrow had promised the students that if Johnson noticed their clip, he would arrange for them to see the new Moana film as their end-of-year school trip.

The video quickly went viral, successfully reaching the actor, who responded with a video message pledging to rent a cinema for the students and their families to watch the film.

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A woman and a man standing on top of a rock in front of a tree. To the right of the picture is a group of schoolchildren wearing red uniforms. They are standing behind a rope. In the distance is a bridge. — Image caption, The Rock and Catherine Laga'aia appeared at a Moana Experience event in London

Dwayne Johnson’s Personal Video Message

The 54-year-old actor also offered to cover the cost of sweets and snacks for the group.

During a school assembly, the pupils viewed Johnson's four-minute video, in which he expressed being "so moved" by their effort to contact him.

A screenshot of Dwayne Johnson's video to the students. The background is a tropical beach and the caption reads — Image caption, Dwayne Johnson's special video message was shown to students during an assembly

"I heard you guys were super, super pumped and excited to see live action Moana, so I'm going to find a theatre, rent it out, and you guys are going to see Moana," he said. "Love you guys, keep doing great in school and, as Maui says, 'You're welcome'."

Headteacher Reflects on the Experience

Speaking to the BBC at the event, Daniel Woodrow described the significance of the occasion.

A head and shoulders picture of a man wearing glasses and a suit with a black blazer over a white shirt with a striped tie. Tower Bridge is in the background. — Image caption, Headteacher Daniel Woodrow said Moana was the go-to film for him and his daughter to watch together

"For the biggest movie star on the planet to spend so much time with the children... that was incredible, and you could see how excited they were.

He said happy birthday to someone... and he took a video with them, so the children have all been in a movie with Dwayne Johnson now, which is incredible.

It's been an amazing day. At the start of the day the children had no idea it was even going to happen, so it makes it even more special."

Immersive Activities and Themed Experiences

In addition to meeting Johnson and other cast members, the students explored a Motunui-themed environment featuring activities and Moana-inspired food and drinks.

The event included a replica of Maui's 6-meter-long hook and a detailed reconstruction of Moana's canoe.

Students Present a Special Gift

The pupils presented The Rock with a collage showcasing their drawings of Maui, expressing their admiration and appreciation.

The Rock – a man wearing a cream-coloured shirt and flowers around his neck. He is also wearing sunglasses and holding up a picture of himself as the character Maui. He is smiling. — Image caption, The pupils presented The Rock with a collage featuring their drawings of Maui

Students’ Reactions to Meeting Their Idol

The encounter was met with enthusiasm by the children, matching the excitement of their headteacher.

A man wearing a black suit blazer over a white shirt with a striped tie stood in the middle of a group of schoolchildren who are wearing white and red uniforms. In the background is Tower Bridge. — Image caption, The Rock was not wrong when he said the schoolchildren went "bonkers" on seeing him

"It was the best day ever. All of us were all really excited and some of us got high fives from him, and he made sure we all enjoyed the time [with him].