Dwayne Douglas Johnson, known by his ring name The Rock, is an American former professional wrestler and actor, widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wwe wrestlers of all time. Growing up in a family of wrestlers, it’s no surprise he found his own path in the industry. Showing early athletic promise, he engaged in various sports during his school years, including football, track and field, and wrestling. His football skills earned him a full scholarship at the University of Miami as a defensive tackle, but a career-ending injury dashed those dreams.
Despite the setback, he remained undeterred and, inspired by his father, a professional wrestler, he embarked on a wrestling career. He made his debut in WWF, eventually becoming a highly successful wrestler. Thanks to his charisma and rugged charm, Hollywood came calling, and he transitioned to acting, starting with “The Mummy Returns.”
Biography:
Born: May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California, USA
Birth name: Dwayne Douglas Johnson
Nicknames: The People’s Champion, The Brahma Bull, The Great One, The Rock, Dewey
Height: 6′ 5″ (1.96 m)
Personal Life:
Dwayne Douglas Johnson, born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California, USA, comes from a wrestling family. His father, Rocky Johnson, was a professional wrestler, and his mother, Ata Maivia, is the daughter of a wrestler. His distinctive appearance is a result of his father’s Black Nova Scotian heritage and his mother’s Samoan roots.
He briefly lived in New Zealand and attended Richmond Road Primary School before returning to the United States and enrolling at Freedom High School.
As a teenager, he loved sports and joined different teams at school. He played football, did track and field, and even wrestled. His top choice was football, and he got a full scholarship to play as a defensive tackle at the University of Miami. But an injury ruined his football dreams. In 1995, he finished college and got a degree in criminology and physiology.
After that, he wanted to become a wrestler and began his training with his father.
On May 3, 1997, Johnson married his longtime girlfriend Dany Garcia. Simone Alexandra is the name of their daughter. They divorced peacefully in 2007 after ten years of marriage.
Soon after his divorce from Dany Garcia, Johnson began dating Lauren Hashian. He first met her while shooting ‘The Game Plan’ in 2006. Jasmine Johnson, their first child, was born in December 2015, and Tiana Gia Johnson, their second child, was born in April 2018. On August 18, 2019, Dwayne Johnson married Lauren Hashian in Hawaii.
Net Worth:
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has a fortune estimated at $800 million. Much of his wealth comes from his significant ownership in Teremana Tequila, which is worth around $2 billion. Thanks to this venture, he’s on track to become a billionaire, surpassing what he’s earned in his entire career.
Outside of tequila, The Rock is among the highest-paid stars globally, typically making over $100 million each year from movies and endorsements. To give you an idea, he raked in $43 million in 2013, $65 million in 2015, and an astounding $125 million between June 2017 and June 2018, making him the world’s highest-earning actor.
Dwayne Johnson’s journey from a college football player with degrees in Criminology and Physiology to a wrestling superstar was rapid. His popularity in the late ’90s and mid-2000s significantly boosted the WWF/WWE scene. His role as The Scorpion King in “The Mummy” franchise further elevated his stardom, prompting him to shift focus from wrestling to acting. Today, he’s arguably the most famous actor on the planet.
Awards:
- WWE Championships: 17, including 10 World Championships
- National Championship in 1991 Miami Hurricanes Football Match
- 6th WWE “Triple Crown Champion,” Royal Rumble 2000 winner
- Ranked no. 2 in top 500 professional wrestlers’ list PWI 500 (2000)
- Mr. Olympia (2016)
- Teen Choice Award for “The Mummy Returns” (2001)
- 9 Slammy Awards, including “Game Changer Of the Year” (2011) and “Match Of the Year” (2013)
- Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite “Male Butt Kicker” (2013)
- People’s Choice Award for Favorite “Premium Cable TV Actor” (2016)
- Best Actor Shorty’s Award (2016)
Fun Facts:
- Although Dwayne Johnson has spent most of his life in the United States, he holds Samoan citizenship due to his mother’s Samoan heritage.
- His cousin, Tanoai Reed, often serves as his stunt double in many of his films. Interestingly, he has a fear of spiders.
- Wrestling runs in his blood – not only was his father, Rocky Johnson, a wrestler, but also his grandfather, three uncles, and six cousins (including one adopted) have been part of the wrestling world.
- An interesting wwe fact is that he owns the rights to the name “The Rock,” including associated logos and phrases. Previously, WWE, Inc. held these rights, explaining why Vince McMahon is credited as an executive producer in some of The Rock’s movies.
