Dwayne Johnson also known as The Rock is an actor, businessman, and professional wrestler born on May 2, 1972. He’s part of WWE, where he wrestles sometimes as a member of The Bloodline. People think he’s one of the best wrestlers ever and a big reason why wrestling got super popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
After he wrestled full-time for eight years, he decided to try acting. Turns out, he’s good at it. His movies have made billions of dollars making him one of the highest-paid actors in the world. He’s also got his hands in football co-owning a league and he’s involved in some big companies like UFC and WWE.
Before he became famous, he played college football but didn’t make it to the NFL. Luckily his dad knew some people, so he got a shot at wrestling in WWF (now WWE). He became a huge star there with his trash-talking skills.
Even though he officially left wrestling in 2004, he kept coming back for short stints until his quiet retirement in 2019. But in 2023, he made a surprise return still on a part-time basis.
He’s won a bunch of championships in wrestling and headlined big events like WrestleMania. Besides wrestling, he’s been in lots of movies, from action flicks like Fast & Furious to family-friendly ones like Jumanji. He even played Maui in the Disney movie Moana.
He’s not just an actor and wrestler; he’s also done TV shows like Ballers and Young Rock. He even wrote a book called The Rock Says, which was a big hit.
He’s so influential that Time magazine has named him one of the most important people in the world, not once, but twice!
| Full Name | Dwayne Douglas Johnson |
| Date of Birth | May 2, 1972 |
| Place of Birth | Hayward, California, USA |
| Occupation | Actor, Producer, Businessman, Professional Wrestler |
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) |
| Spouse | Lauren Hashian (m. 2019) Dany Garcia (m. 1997–2008) |
| Children | Ava Raine |
| Net Worth | $800 million |
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Early Life and Education
Dwayne Johnson was born in Hayward, California, on May 2, 1972. His parents are Mataniufeagaimaleata “Ata” Fitisemanu and former wrestler Rocky Johnson. When he was young he lived for a bit in Auckland, New Zealand, with his mom’s family, where he played rugby and went to school before coming back to the U.S.
His dad, Rocky Johnson was Black Nova Scotian with a bit of Irish ancestry, while his mom is Samoan. Rocky and Tony Atlas were the first black tag team champions in WWE history in 1983. Johnson’s mom, Ata was adopted by Peter Maivia, also a wrestler. Johnson’s grandma Lia was a wrestling promoter herself managing Polynesian Pacific Pro Wrestling for years.
Johnson went to different schools starting from Montclaire Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina, then moving around to places like Hamden, Connecticut, and Nashville, Tennessee. He finally graduated from Freedom High School in Pennsylvania in 1990.
During high school, Johnson had a rough time. He got into trouble with the law, was arrested a few times, and got suspended for fighting. But his football coach saw potential in him and convinced him to join the team. Football turned out to be a big change for Johnson. It made him think about his goals and what he wanted to do.
Even though he had only played football for two years in high school, Johnson got a full scholarship to the University of Miami. This was a big deal because Miami’s football program was becoming successful at the time.
Career
Dwayne Johnson played football in high school and continued as a defensive tackle at the University of Miami. He was part of their 1991 championship team but mostly played as a backup due to strong competition. During his time there he played 39 games starting once and made 4.5 sacks and 77 tackles.
After graduating in 1995 with a degree in General Studies and majors in criminology and physiology Johnson spoke frequently to students in Miami about staying in school and avoiding drugs. He then joined the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League but was cut after a brief stint.
In 1996 Johnson began his wrestling career with the WWF (now WWE). Starting under his real name and later as “Flex Kavana” he won the USWA Tag Team Championship twice. He eventually signed with WWF and debuted as Rocky Maivia honoring his wrestling lineage. Initially pushed as a good guy he won the Intercontinental Championship early on but faced backlash from fans.
Following a knee injury Johnson returned in 1997 as a villain rejecting his “Rocky Maivia” persona and calling himself “The Rock.” He joined the Nation of Domination stable and feuded with wrestlers like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Ken Shamrock. The Rock’s popularity soared leading to feuds within the Nation and notable matches like the 1998 King of the Ring tournament where he emerged victorious.
Towards the end of 1998, The Rock’s popularity continued to grow as he transitioned into a fan favorite feuding with former Nation members and participating in memorable matches like the SummerSlam ladder match. His rise to stardom was well underway setting the stage for his iconic persona that would define his career into the early 2000s.
In 1998 The Rock entered a tournament called the “Deadly Game” to win his first WWF Championship at Survivor Series on November 15 by defeating Mankind. He then turned villainous again by joining forces with Vince and Shane McMahon in their group called The Corporation after they betrayed Mankind. At Rock Bottom: In Your House on December 13, 1998, The Rock retained his title against Mankind despite appearing to lose. This period saw intense rivalries and unique matches like the “I Quit” match and an Empty Arena match.
The Rock’s popularity soared due to his charisma and catchphrases even as a villain. His journey continued with feuds against Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H leading to memorable matches and moments including the birth of “SmackDown!” in April 1999. The Rock also introduced his signature match the Brahma Bullrope match.
The Rock teamed up with Mankind to form the Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection winning the WWF Tag Team Championship multiple times. They entertained fans with comedic skits including the famous “This Is Your Life” segment. The Rock’s career included highs like winning the Royal Rumble and lows such as losing title matches. His feud with Triple H and involvement in significant storylines kept fans captivated throughout the Attitude Era.
The Rock’s journey continued into the 2000s when he became a multiple-time WWF Champion engaging in feuds with Kurt Angle and others. His fame extended beyond wrestling leading to a prominent role in the “Invasion” storyline and victories over rivals like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan. His wrestling career reached new heights including memorable matches and alliances before he took a break to pursue acting.
In January 2003 The Rock came back to SmackDown! to set up a match with Hulk Hogan at No Way Out. Fans weren’t happy with him because he was focusing more on acting. So he turned into a bad guy or heel for the first time in years adopting a new persona called Hollywood Rock with a shaved head. He beat Hogan at No Way Out and then moved to Raw. There he had some minor rivalries like one with The Hurricane and started doing “Rock Concerts” where he’d mock other wrestlers and fans with songs.
Later on, The Rock faced Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIX in March 2003. It was a big deal because Austin had won their previous encounters at WrestleMania. This time The Rock won after delivering three Rock Bottoms. After the match, he was attacked by Goldberg who was making his WWE debut. At Backlash Goldberg defeated The Rock who then took a break from WWE to film a movie.
In 2003-2004 The Rock had more matches and even helped out Mick Foley in his feuds. At WrestleMania XX he teamed up with Foley in a losing effort against Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista. This match marked The Rock’s last wrestling match until he returned in 2011. After WrestleMania XX he made occasional appearances in WWE including hosting a pie-eating contest and getting into some scuffles.
From 2007 to 2009 The Rock showed up a few times on WWE predicting match outcomes and inducting his father and grandfather into the Hall of Fame. He also appeared at a wrestling show in 2009 to support a friend’s daughter’s wrestling debut.
The Rock returned to WWE in 2011 as the host of WrestleMania XXVII and began a feud with John Cena. They faced off at WrestleMania XXVIII where The Rock won. They had a rematch the next year with the WWE Championship on the line and Cena won.
The Rock’s last big match was at WrestleMania 29 in 2013 where he lost the WWE Championship to Cena. He was supposed to have a rematch but couldn’t because of an injury sustained during the match.
In April 2014 The Rock showed up at WrestleMania XXX with wrestling legends Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan. Later that year he surprised everyone on Raw by confronting Rusev and Lana and then clearing Rusev out of the ring.
In January 2015 The Rock appeared at the Royal Rumble to help his cousin Roman Reigns against Big Show and Kane. Reigns won the match and The Rock endorsed him. At WrestleMania 31 in March 2015 The Rock teamed up with Ronda Rousey to take on Triple H and Stephanie McMahon coming out victorious. In June 2015 in Boston, The Rock faced off against Bo Dallas and gave him a ‘Rock Bottom.’
In January 2016 The Rock had a heated exchange with The Miz Big Show Lana Rusev and The New Day on Raw. At WrestleMania 32 in April 2016 he announced a record-breaking attendance before clashing with The Wyatt Family and defeating Erick Rowan in just six seconds setting a new WrestleMania record. He was joined by John Cena to fend off the Wyatts.
In February 2017 The Rock appeared after Raw went off-air to promote his movie ‘Fighting with My Family.’ He officially retired from wrestling in August 2019 but made a comeback on SmackDown’s 20th Anniversary in October 2019 teaming up with Becky Lynch.
He surprised fans again in September 2023 on SmackDown and in January 2024 he returned to Raw challenging Jinder Mahal. This led to a brawl where The Rock emerged victorious and teased sitting at ‘the head of the table’ referencing his relative Roman Reigns.
By WrestleMania XL in April 2024 The Rock had aligned himself with Reigns and joined ‘The Bloodline’ adopting the persona of ‘The Final Boss.’ They defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a tag team match on Night 1. On Night 2 during Rhodes’ championship match against Reigns, The Rock was attacked by The Undertaker. Rhodes won the title and The Rock hinted at a future return after taking time off for a movie.
Net Worth
Dwayne Johnson’s Net Worth is estimated to be $800 Million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Personal Life
Dwayne Johnson met Dany Garcia while they were both students at the University of Miami in the early 1990s. They got married on May 3, 1997. Dany is a businesswoman, a professional bodybuilder, and a producer. They have one daughter named Simone, born on August 14, 2001, in Davie, Florida.
In 2003, Johnson got a Samoan tattoo on his left side. He received the title Seiuli in August 2004 for his contributions to the Samoan people.
On June 1, 2007, Johnson and Garcia announced their amicable separation. That same year, he started dating Lauren Hashian whom he met in 2006 during the filming of The Game Plan.
Johnson’s divorce from Garcia was finalized in May 2008. In 2009, he became a Canadian citizen based on his father’s citizenship.
In 2017, Johnson covered a small tattoo on his right arm with a larger one. He married Hashian on August 18, 2019, and they have two daughters named Jasmine and Tiana.
His daughter Simone, now known as Ava Raine started training at the WWE Performance Center in 2020 and signed a contract with WWE in 2022, becoming the first fourth-generation WWE wrestler.
Dwayne Johnson is a supporter of the Samoa national rugby league team and showed his support during the 2021 Rugby League World Cup when they reached the finals for the first time.
Philanthropy
Dwayne Johnson went to two big events for political parties in 2000 as part of WWE’s campaign to get young people to vote. He also spoke at a Republican event that year.
He voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 but didn’t vote in 2016. By 2017, he decided not to stick to one party and became an independent voter. He supported Joe Biden in 2020 but later felt bad about it because it made people fight. He didn’t support anyone in the 2024 election.
He’s thought about running for president himself and has noticed that many Americans might vote for him if he did. He says he’d do it if that’s what people wanted.
In 2006, he started a charity to help sick and at-risk kids. He’s given lots of money to different causes over the years, like helping with Hurricane Harvey and giving a gym to a military base. He’s also worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In 2023, he gave a huge amount of money to a group called SAG-AFTRA Foundation during a strike they were having. The group’s president said it was the biggest donation they’d ever gotten from one person at one time.
