Dwayne Johnson  “The Rock”

Dwayne Johnson, as “The Rock,” is an American professional wrestler and actor. He was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California. Johnson came from a long line of wrestlers.

Dwayne Johnson: Who Is He?

Born in 1972 to a family of wrestlers, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson followed in his family’s footsteps. His collegiate football career cut short by injury, he signed with the WWE. While using the ring name “The Rock,” he became recognized for his feud with fellow wrestler Steve Austin and his many victories against Austin for the WWE Heavyweight championship. After achieving success in the ring, Johnson went on to star in movies including The Mummy Returns (2001) and Tooth Fairy (2010, reprising his role as the title character). Following this, he starred in the HBO comedy Ballers, played major roles in the Fast & Furious and Jumanji films, and provided the voice of the demigod Maui in the animated film Moana.

Early Years and Profession

A Hayward, California native, Johnson entered the world on May 2, 1972. Johnson watched his father, Rocky, wrestle professionally from an early age. Johnson’s grandfather, Peter “High Chief” Fanene Maivia, was also a professional wrestler. Johnson had no intention of following in his father’s footsteps, but his stature and agility made him a promising college football player until injuries sidelined him.

Developing into “The Rock”

Johnson, realising he had little opportunities in professional football, switched to wrestling and made his WWE debut in Texas against the Brooklyn Brawler. The WWE signed him under the moniker Flex Kavana after he won a few more matches, including a tag team victory with Bart Sawyer. After a year of membership, he rose to power in The Nation of Domination and adopted the moniker The Rock.

His fight with Steve Austin became infamous after he joined The Corporation, another group of great wrestlers. The Rock, whose ring name was “The People’s Champ,” was a WWE superstar who amassed a total of 17 championships over his legendary career.

TV shows and films

‘King of the Scorpions’

The Rock, better known as Dwayne Johnson outside of the wrestling arena, has established a fruitful Hollywood career. His breakout role was as the otherworldly bad die Scorpion King in 2001’s The Mummy Returns. The next year, in The Scorpion King, Johnson reprised his role. He made an attempt at humour with roles in Be Cool (2005), starring John Travolta and Uma Thurman, and The Game Plan (2007), also starring those three actors.

Fast and Furious, and “Driver” Franchise

With roles in films like Driver (2010) and Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Johnson has maintained a successful acting career. He played Hercules in the 2014 movie of the same name. Johnson also made occasional returns to wrestling, including an appearance at WrestleMania 30 in 2014 with Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

HBO’s ‘Ballers’

Johnson had a banner year in 2015, with two blockbuster action movies. He was in San Andreas and made an appearance in Furious 7. In the same year that Ballers premiered, Johnson made his dramatic comedy series debut as Spencer Strasmore, a former professional football player turned financial advisor.

‘Central Intelligence,’ ‘Moana,’ ‘Baywatch,’ and ‘Jumanji’

Johnson voiced the demigod Maui in Disney’s 2016 animation movie Moana, after his work with Kevin Hart in the action comedy Central Intelligence. In 2017, he starred in three major motion pictures: The Fate of the Furious, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and a remake of the 1990s lifeguard series Baywatch.

‘Skyscraper,’ ‘Rampage,’ ‘Hobbs & Shaw’

In 2018, the actor’s good fortune continued, as Jumanji became his most financially successful picture to date. During the commercial onslaught that accompanied the Super Bowl in February, he also stood out by premiering the teaser for his film Skyscraper, in which he does daredevil exploits while using a prosthetic limb.

Earlier on that day, Johnson had revealed his intention to host a 10-part unscripted competition program called The Titan Games in an effort to “create a platform that gave everyday people the opportunity to change their lives and do something extraordinary.”

Following the release of Skyscraper in July, the action hero appeared in Rampage, an adaptation of a 1980s arcade game.

In Fighting with My Family (2019), based on the life of female wrestling champion Saraya “Paige” Bevis, Johnson reprised his role as a professional wrestler. Later that year, he and Jason Statham starred in the Fast & Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw.

‘Young Rock’

The first episode of Young Rock, a biographical television series, will air in 2021. Several of the show’s performers, including Johnson, play younger versions of the star.

Co-Owner of the XFL

After the XFL declared bankruptcy earlier that year, Johnson revealed in August 2020 that he and his wife had partnered with a sports management firm to purchase the league for $15 million. In a statement, Johnson explained that he and his business partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, had decided to purchase the XFL because of Johnson’s “passion for the game” and his “desire to always take care of the fans.” To paraphrase, “I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL with pride and gratitude for all that I have built with my own two hands, and I look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.”

Personal Life

In the early 1990s, Johnson and Garcia encountered one other for the first time as fellow University of Miami students. On May 3, 1997, the pair tied the knot. She’s an entrepreneur, IFBB pro bodybuilder, and movie mogul. On August 14, 2001, their daughter Simone entered the world. Johnson and Garcia announced their mutual separation on June 1, 2007; their divorce was formalised in May of the following year. Johnson started dating Sib Hashian’s daughter, Lauren, a Boston drummer, in 2007.When Johnson was shooting The Game Plan in 2006, that’s when the two initially crossed paths.They tied the knot in Hawaii on the 18th of August, 2019.Two children were born to them: Jasmine on December 17, 2015, and Tiana on April 17, 2018. In addition to their Los Angeles house, Johnson and Hashian have a farm in Virginia and a second residence in Southwest Ranches, Florida. During his visit to Samoa on August 9, 2004, Malietoa Tanumafili II honoured Johnson with the noble title of Seiuli (meaning the son of Malietoa [Alo o Malietoa]) in recognition of his service to the Samoan people and his ancestry as a chief.Through his father’s Canadian birth and citizenship, he was able to become a Canadian citizen in 2009. On his left side, he has a little Samoan pe’a tattoo he obtained in 2003. In 2017, he covered up the “Brahma bull” tattoo on his right arm with a bigger tattoo of a bull’s skull covering half of his arm.Simone Johnson, Johnson’s daughter, became the first member of her family to compete for WWE when the company revealed in February 2020 that she had begun training at the WWE Performance Center. In May 2022, Johnson said her WWE contract had been inked and she would be using the ring name Ava Raine for her NXT appearances.

Johnson finally sealed the wedding with his long term fiancée, singer/music producer Lauren Hashian, in August of this year. Both Jasmine Lia (born December 2015) and Tiana Gia (born April 2018) are their kids.

Simone Alexandra Johnson is Johnson’s daughter from a previous marriage. Dany Garcia, his high school love and eventual wife, and he divorced after ten years of marriage but remained business partners.

Trivia 

1. This year he turns 51 years old.

Johnson Dwayne was born on May 2nd, 1972.

2. He’s a native of the Golden State.

Hayward, California is the place of Johnson’s birth. Hayward lies about in the middle between Oakland and San Jose on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay.

3. He won a football championship at the national level.

The University of Miami football team included Johnson on the defensive line. In 1991, this group won the AP National Championship. Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis were among his colleagues.

4. He was a professional baseball player in Canada.

Dwayne was not selected in the NFL draft and instead signed with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. The team also included Doug Flutie. During his first year, he was released.

5. As was the custom in his family, he turned to professional wrestling.

The first Rocky Johnson was Johnson’s father.

6. The birth of a star

Johnson joined the WWF in 1996 and, before finally capturing a title in 1998, he performed under a number of different aliases and personas.

7. he has appeared in television programs

The Rock began his acting career with guest roles on two hit programs, ‘That ’70s Show’ and ‘Star Trek: Voyager,’ and he has since featured in both the HBO comedy ‘Ballers’ and the NBC biopic ‘Young Rock.’

8. Since then, he’s starred in plenty of major films.

Johnson has contributed to several blockbuster movies in recent years. He is most known for his role as Hobbs in the ‘Fast & Furious’ films, although he has also appeared in a number of Disney films, including ‘Jungle Cruise,’ as well as other roles.

9. Vocal abilities

Johnson is known not just for his acting but also for providing the voice of several animated characters, including Maui in Disney’s “Moana.”

10. Videos of songs

As an actor, Dwayne has appeared in a number of music videos, including those of Taylor Swift and Method Man.

11. He’s a best-selling author

Dwayne’s autobiography, The Rock Says…, topped the New York Times best-sellers list for several weeks.

12. The word “star” describes him well.

In 2017, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was installed in Johnson’s honour.

13. His occupation is company entrepreneur, which he entered at the age of 14.

In 2020, Johnson and his partner bought the XFL. The league anticipates resuming operations in 2022.

14. Rock’s future

On top of ‘Black Adam,’ Johnson will soon be seen in a sequel to ‘San Andreas’ and in a role as King Kamehameha in a film.

How will The Rock be remembered?

Namely, The Rock. He has won seven world titles and two IC titles and one Tag Team title. His matchups at WrestleMania 15 (Austin), 16 (Triple H, Big Show, Mankind), 17 (Austin), and 18 (Hogan) were all main events (save for the Icon vs. Icon battle at WrestleMania 18).

He has defeated everyone you can imagine, and the game effectively ended in 2004. Over the course of nearly eight years, from 1996 to 2004, he revolutionised professional wrestling.

At WrestleMania XX (20), the most prestigious sporting event ever held, Randy Orton, Batista, and Ric Flair defeated Mick Foley and The Rock. The bout took place in the world-famous Madison Square Garden (MSG). The Rock has broken new ground…He had the unique ability to captivate a crowd.

When The Rock departed the WWE for Hollywood in 2004, the sport took a turn for the better. Thus, he made room for others to steal the show, including Edge, John Cena, and a slew of others. Vince declared ” It’s to change things up a bit” the night he left, when the draft was announced, and the WWE shifted accordingly. Let’s rewind to 2004 to find out what has transpired after “The Great One” departed.

In 2004, Randy Orton won the WBC title at the age of 25.

In 2005, John Cena and Batista won the WWE and the world titles.

Rey Mysterio won the World Championship in 2006.

Great Khali wins the 2007 World Championship.

Punk wins the World Championship in 2008

It’s Hard to Say What Will Happen in 2009.

You can tell that some of them don’t deserve it since they’ve had to fill the shoes of legends like “The Great One,” “Stone Cold,” “Ric Flair,” and “others” who have left indelible marks on WWE history.

The only remaining questions are when, where, and by whom The Rock will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Other than The Rock, WrestleMania 26 won’t feature a top-tier superstar unless “Macho Man” Randy Savage is inducted.

The WWE believes he is finished with the company for good, so they want to induct him and get him out of their way by having him sign a Hall of Fame contract.

The guy who pinned The Rock’s tag team partner Mick Foley in the latter’s final bout at WrestleMania XX (20) is RANDY ORTON, and the WWE believes he can achieve even more than The Rock has.

Other work

The Rock Says…, Johnson’s autobiography written with Joe Layden, was released in the year 2000. It was the first book to ever debut at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for weeks.

The Hero, a reality competition show that Johnson hosted and produced for TNT in 2013, aired that year. He presented the reality show Wake Up Call on TNT in 2014. Johnson took over hosting duties for The Titan Games, an NBC competition series, in 2019.

Johnson’s “Project Rock” was released in March 2016 in collaboration with the American fitness apparel company Under Armour. His workout bag collaboration with Under Armour was an instant success. His second product, a black T-shirt with his characteristic “Brahma bull” design, was widely seen during WrestleMania 32 and quickly sold out.  Johnson’s “Project Rock” included the launch of an alarm clock app, which was downloaded over a million times in its first week. They’ve expanded their product line to include footwear, headphones, and clothing since then.

Johnson launched his account on YouTube that same year (2016). His debut video, The YouTube Factory, featured Lilly Singh and other popular YouTubers.

Athleticon is a competitive bodybuilding show that Johnson and his ex-wife and business partner Dany Garcia stated they will create in 2019. It will compete with long-running competitions like Joe Weider’s Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic. The show was supposed to premiere in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2020, however the release date had to be pushed back because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Johnson introduced Teremana Tequila in March 2020, and the first year sales were 600,000 nine-litre cases.

In 2021, Johnson appeared on the track “Face Off” from Tech N9ne’s album Asi N9ne, proving that he is a fan of the rapper.

Volunteering and social activism

Johnson represented WWE’s apolitical “Smackdown Your Vote” initiative at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in an effort to encourage young people to use their right to vote. In the same year, 2000, he also spoke at the Republican National Convention.

Johnson supported Obama for president in both the 2008 and 2012 elections. He is now a non-affiliated voter as of the 2017 election after not participating in the 2016 election. He’s on record as supporting Joe Biden for president in 2020. It was reported in February 2021 by USA Today that Johnson was considering a presidential run in the future if that’s what the people desired. Johnson told The Today Show on April 12, 2021, “I do have that goal to unite our country and I also feel that if this is what the people want, then I will do that” after an online public opinion poll found that 46% of Americans would consider voting for Johnson in a presidential election.

Dwayne Johnson began helping children who were in danger or were terminally sick by establishing the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation in 2006. He and his ex-wife Dany Garcia gave $1 million to the University of Miami on October 2, 2007, to help fund improvements to the football facilities there. The Hurricanes’ changing room at the University of Miami has been renamed in Johnson’s honour. Johnson sent $1,500 to a GoFundMe in 2015 to help an abandoned puppy get medical treatment. In 2017, he gave $25,000 to aid those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Johnson gave a gym to a military facility on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in 2018. He volunteered with the non-profit Malama Kauai after the devastating 2018 floods in Hawaii to assist clean up and restore the island. Johnson has also done volunteer work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Johnson gave a seven-figure payment to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in July 2023, which the foundation’s president, Courtney B. Vance, described as “the largest single donation that (the foundation) has ever received from one individual at one time.”