Jack Felling/ NBC Sports
Dwayne Johnson will be kicking off the Beijing Winter Olympics with a special message for Team USA.
Prior to NBC’s primetime coverage of the Opening Ceremony, the actor and entrepreneur, 49, will star in a film, titled “I Dare You.” Narrated by Johnson, the film will aim to inspire fans and audiences with the story of how young athletes dare to pursue the most high-stakes competitions on snow and ice.
“Our athletes representing Team USA at this year’s Winter Olympics are some of the most talented and determined men and women in the world,” Johnson says in a statement.
“They have dedicated their lives to their sport, pushing through injuries and personal setbacks, training through the toughest of conditions, to rise up and join the elite who have the opportunity to represent their country in the most iconic competition in the world,” he continues.
“It’s my honor to once again be asked to participate in the presentation of the Opening Ceremony. And on behalf of our country, I will proudly introduce our U.S. Olympians to the world as they take that first step of defining their legacy,” Johnson adds.
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Johnson previously introduced Team USA during NBC’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics last summer and previewed the athletes to watch in the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
The 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony will take place on Friday at National Stadium, or “The Bird’s Nest,” in Beijing. John Shuster, a five-time Olympic curler, and Brittany Bowe, a three-time Olympic speed skater, will carry the American flag during the Parade of Nations. (Bowe was tapped to replace elected flag bearer Elana Meyers Taylor in the ceremony after Taylor tested positive for COVID-19.)
The U.S. Olympic team will have a delegation of 223 athletes.
For the first time, there will be full-day coverage of the Opening Ceremony on NBC with its first-ever live morning presentation that will begin at 6:30 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Then, the network will air an “enhanced primetime presentation” of the Opening Ceremony later that same day beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb. 3, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.
