About Dwayne Johnson
Born on May 2, 1972, Dwayne Douglas Johnson is a notable American actor and professional wrestler. He is presently a respected member of WWE and is well-known by his ring moniker, The Rock. Known as one of the greatest professional wrestlers in history, he was instrumental in the expansion and success of the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in the late 1990s and early 2000s during the explosive Attitude Era. Following an outstanding eight-year tenure in the WWF, Johnson took the risky move of entering the acting world. He had no idea that this bold move would make him a movie theater superstar.
In addition to captivating viewers, his films have broken box office records, grossing an incredible $3.5 billion in North America and an incredible $10.5 billion globally. Being one of the highest-grossing and highest-paid actors in the world is no surprise; he has earned his spot among the elite. He is a versatile force in the entertainment and sports industries, further establishing his standing as co-owner of the United Football League to add to his already impressive list of credentials.
Dwayne Johnson Biography: Quick Facts
- Birth Name: Dwayne Douglas Johnson
- Birth Date: May 2, 1972
- Birth Place: Hayward, California
- Gender: Male
- Career: Actor, Professional Wrestler, Film Producer
- Most Known For: The title ‘The Rock’, acting in a number of well-known films, including Tooth Fairy (2010) and The Mummy Returns (2001), the HBO series Ballers, prominent parts in the Jumanji and Fast & Furious films, and his incredible performance as the demigod Maui in the film Moana.
Early Life
Johnson was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California. Rocky Johnson, a former professional wrestler, and Mataniufeagaimaleata “Ata” Fitisemanu (née Maivia) are his parents. Before moving back to the United States, he was raised for a while with his mother’s family in Auckland, New Zealand, where he played rugby and went to Richmond Road Primary School.
Johnson started his schooling at Charlotte, North Carolina’s Montclaire Elementary School. He subsequently proceeded to the Middle School in Hamden, Connecticut, and Shepherd Glen Elementary School. Johnson also attended President William McKinley High School in Honolulu, Glencliff High School, and McGavock High School in Nashville as a result of his scholastic trajectory.
In the end, he received his diploma from Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania’s Freedom High School in 1990. After experiencing difficulties at Freedom High School, Johnson was entangled in a conflictual and low-level criminal lifestyle. Football coach Jody Cwik saw his ability even though he had been suspended for fighting and had been jailed several times for other charges.
Johnson’s inner transformation was sparked by the coach’s choice to recruit him. Johnson’s skill set earned him a full athletic scholarship offer from the University of Miami by his senior year, after just two years of playing.
Wrestling
Johnson decided to seek a career in wrestling due to his lack of possibilities in professional football. In Texas, he made his WWE debut by competing against the Brooklyn Brawler. After a couple more matches, which included a winning tag match match with Bart Sawyer, he signed with the WWE under the ring name Flex Kavana. In less than a year, he joined The Nation of Domination and took over as leader, going by the well-known alias The Rock.
Then The Rock teamed up with a squad of extremely talented wrestlers called The Corporation, which started a famous feud with Steve Austin. Known by many as “The People’s Champ,” this captivating wrestler went on to win an astounding 17 WWE titles throughout the course of his remarkable career.
Early Acting Roles, ‘Mummy Returns,’ and ‘The Scorpion King’
Johnson made his way into Hollywood and the film business, first rising to fame thanks to his reputation for hard work and his success in wrestling. He rose to become one of Hollywood’s most lucrative and successful performers during the course of his performing career. While wrestling, he started his acting career on television. In 1999, he made his television acting debut in the “That Wrestling Show” episode of That ’70s Show, when he played his father.
He made an appearance in the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Tsunkatse” over a year later, playing an alien wrestler who squared off against the well-known character Seven of Nine. WWE kept selling “The Rock” merchandise and Johnson continued to be prominently featured in the opening montages of their TV broadcasts even after he left the business.
Dwayne Johnson abandoned his stage persona to pursue a successful acting career outside of the wrestling arena. His depiction as the otherworldly nemesis, the Scorpion King, in “The Mummy Returns” in 2001 made him a well-known character in the business. Johnson’s career took off when he started acting comedies. He appeared in films like “Be Cool” (2005) with Uma Thurman and John Travolta and “The Game Plan” (2007).
‘Driver,’ ‘Fast & Furious’
Johnson’s acting career continues to take off, and he has been in movies such as Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Driver (2010). In addition, he dabbled in true-story movies, appearing in the films “Empire State” (2013) and “Pain & Gain” (2013). In the same time frame, he won the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards’ Favorite Male Buttkicker category and demonstrated his hosting and producing abilities on the TNT reality competition series “The Hero.”
He also became an executive producer and star of the HBO comedy-drama series “Ballers,” which is about Miami-based NFL players. In addition, Forbes named him the highest-grossing actor of 2013 by December of that year, after his films brought in an astounding $1.3 billion globally. The success of “Fast & Furious 6,” which brought in $789 million worldwide, and his always excellent acting performances were major factors in this achievement.
He assumed the title role of the formidable Hercules in 2014. Johnson also made sporadic comebacks to the world of professional wrestling. In 2014, he co-starred with Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 30.
‘Moana’ and ‘Jumaji’
In addition to voicing the demigod Maui in the Disney animation movie Moana, Dwayne Johnson co-starred with Kevin Hart in the action-comedy Central Intelligence in 2016. In 2017, he exhibited his flexibility and star power by appearing in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Fate of the Furious, a big-screen remake of the 1990s lifeguard series Baywatch as Dr. Bravestone.
‘Skyscraper,’ ‘Rampage,’ and ‘Hobbs & Shaw’
Jumanji, the actor’s highest-grossing movie to date, continued to gain great momentum in 2018. He also made a big impression at the Super Bowl when he unveiled the exciting Skyscraper teaser, which included prosthetic leg acrobatics that defied gravity. Additionally, Johnson said that The Titan Games, an upcoming 10-episode unscripted competition show, will be launched. Its goal is to give regular people a platform to accomplish remarkable things and change their lives.
Dwayne Johnson featured in “Skyscraper,” which was released in July, after he made a cameo in “Rampage,” a movie that was based on the well-known arcade game from the 1980s. In “Fighting with My Family” (2019), Johnson played himself, a portrayal of the actual tale of female wrestling champion Saraya “Paige” Bevis. This further demonstrated his wrestling heritage.
Alongside Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson featured in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw as part of the Fast & Furious franchise. The film, which was helmed by David Leitch and was released on July 26, 2019, was shot in September 2018 and was based on a script written by series writers Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce. Johnson’s absence from F9, Fast X, and Fast & Furious 11 will be made up for in Hobbs & Shaw 2. It was announced in May 2023 that he will be making an exciting cameo in the Fast X post-credits sequence.
Johnson made a comeback to Jumanji: The Next Level, playing his cherished character Bravestone. Building on the enormous critical and commercial success of Welcome to the Jungle, the movie’s production began in early 2019 and was released on December 13, 2019, much to everyone’s excitement.
2021 – Recent Years
Johnson had a successful year in the movies in 2021. He co-starred with Emily Blunt in the exhilarating Disney Jungle Cruise, which brought the popular theme park attraction to the big screen. He also featured in the action-packed Red Notice on Netflix, where he reunited with director Rawson Marshall Thurber for a thrilling project that also starred the gifted Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds.
On November 14, 2019, he declared that “Black Adam,” the much awaited stand-alone movie, will hit theaters in December 2021. The big debut of “Black Adam” is scheduled for October 21, 2022, and fans may expect it to begin production in April 2021. Johnson returned to the character of Luke Hobbs in a cameo appearance in the Fast X mid-credits sequence in May 2023.
Personal Life
In August 2019, Johnson tied the knot with singer and music producer Lauren Hashian, his longtime girlfriend. Jasmine Lia, born in December 2015, and Tiana Gia, born in April 2018, are their two children together. In addition, Johnson also fathers a daughter Simone Alexandra from his first marriage. In 1997, he wed Dany Garcia, his high school sweetheart, but the couple separated after 10 years.
The WWE announced in February 2020 that Simone, Johnson’s daughter, had started training at the WWE Performance Center and would be the organization’s first fourth-generation wrestler. Johnson announced her ring name as Ava Raine in May 2022 after confirming her deal with WWE on May 16. She has now started appearing frequently on the NXT network.