"With pride and gratitude for all that I've built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL, and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.". She bursts into tears and says Yes, son I couldnt be happier. On May 21, at Judgment Day, the Rock faced Triple H in an Iron Man match with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee. Peter would end up training Rocky Johnson, Ata's eventual husband and the Rock's father. brand before taking a sabbatical from wrestling. Before he became an actor, he was a WWE (then known as WWF) pro wrestler with many laurels to his name. Was teammates with Doug Flutie with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). [61] He was initially reluctant to take this ring name but was persuaded by Vince McMahon and Jim Ross. [125] The next month, the Rock feuded with Rikishi and defeated him at Survivor Series. Johnson was born in Hayward, California, on May 2, 1972. Indeed, he was just one of his famous wrestler uncles. This led to some bad decision-making and often falling in with the wrong crowd. Later projects include the HBO series Ballers and leading roles in The Fast and the Furious and Jumanji franchises and the voice as demigod Maui in Moana. [190], On July 23, at Raw 1000, the Rock announced he would wrestle for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. [198] The Rock then resumed his rivalry with John Cena, who won that year's Royal Rumble to set up a rematch of the previous WrestleMania match between the two at WrestleMania 29, only this time with the WWE Championship on the line. [30][31] Growing up, Johnson lived briefly in Grey Lynn in Auckland, New Zealand with his mother's family,[32] where he played rugby[33] and attended Richmond Road Primary School before returning to the U.S.[32], Johnson's father was a Black Nova Scotian with a small amount of Irish ancestry. [197] The following night on Raw, the Rock unveiled a new WWE Championship design, with a different center plate and removable customizable side-plates which had his "Brahma Bull" logo. That same day, Johnson announced he would be hosting a 10-episode unscripted competition show, The Titan Games, to "create a platform that gave everyday people the opportunity to change their lives and do something extraordinary.". We found a clue to answer this question in an Instagram post he shared with his over 170 million followers in January 2020 following his fathers death. Though its hard to believe today, Johnson struggled to fit in as a teen. Before that, he played college football where he got topmost recognition as a national champion in 1991. [109][110], At the Royal Rumble, on January 23, 2000, the Rock entered the Royal Rumble match and was one of the final two remaining, along with Big Show. (At the time, he was still playing football competitively with the NFL.). Also known as "The People's Champ," The Rock went on to win a combined 17 WWE titles over his acclaimed career. With Rocky pursuing his wrestling career, the family moved around a lot. Dwayne's father, a native of Canada, is black, of Black Nova Scotian descent, and was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia (Dwayne's father's ancestors were African-Americans who moved to Canada). See the post for yourself: Dwayne Johnson has been married two times so far. As well as his overgrown size. With no plans to follow in his footsteps, Johnson played college football at the University of Miami, showing promise with his size and athleticism until being slowed by injuries. Who Is His Spouse or Partner? [139], As part of the WWF's battle against The Alliance, the Rock wrestled in a "winner takes all" five-on-five elimination tag team match at Survivor Series where the losing team's company would be dissolved in storyline. You Can Stream Every 'Rocky' Movie Right Now, 'WoF' Fans Say This Is the 'Biggest Choke' on Show, Daisy Jones & the Six Is a Rock Epic in 10 Parts, See Mariska Hargitays Emotional Tribute on IG, Poker Face Is Rian Johnson's Exciting New Show, A Timeline of Events in 'Murdaugh Murders', 'White Lotus' Star Reveals 'Iconic' Scene Was Cut, How Sam Claflin Built His '70s Rock Star Body, 'Mayor of Kingstown' Is Back for Season 2. [355] Johnson has also worked with Make-A-Wish Foundation on a number of occasions. It is the third time that the two collaborated, following Central Intelligence and Skyscraper. [271][272][273][274] He began his acting career on television while wrestling. Dwayne Johnson, byname The Rock, (born May 2, 1972, Hayward, California, U.S.), American professional wrestler and actor whose charisma and athleticism made him a success in both fields. [336], In 2016, Johnson started his YouTube channel. 10 Preston Lifelong wrestling fan. Dwayne Johnsons mother Ata was Ofelias first child from her first marriage before she married Peter Maivia. After the match, Rock attacked Miz and hit him with the People's Elbow. He was quick to aggressively confront kids who made fun of his father's profession. 999 WWE recognizes 1,000 episodes, WWE Title match, Lesnar, Rock, DX, wedding", "Caldwell's WWE RAW Results 1/7: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw WWE Title match, The Rock returns, Cena vs. Ziggler (updated w/Box Score)", "Caldwell's WWE Smackdown Results 1/11: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of The Rock's big return, new World Champ crowned (updated w/Box Score)", "PWTorch.com PARKS'S WWE RAW REPORT 1/14: Complete "virtual time" coverage of the 20th Anniversary of Raw, including Rock Concert, Divas Title Match", "Caldwell's WWE Royal Rumble PPV Results 1/27: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of Punk vs. Rock, 30-man Rumble", "WWE NEWS: Chamber PPV results & notes WM29 main event set, World Title match set, Shield big win, more", "PWTorch.com CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 3/4: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live "Old-School Raw" Taker returns, Rock-Cena in-ring confrontation, WM29 hype, more", "PWTorch.com CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 3/25: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw Rock returns for Q&A debate with Cena, Hunter punts Barrett, latest WM29 hype", "PWTorch.com CALDWELL'S WWE WRESTLEMANIA 29 PPV RESULTS: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live PPV from MetLife Stadium Rock-Cena II, Taker-Punk, Lesnar-Hunter, more", "Caldwell's WWE Raw Results 4/8: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw WM29 fall-out, new World Champ, no Rock, Taker live, crowd takes over", "WWE News: New update on Rock's WrestleMania injury", "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson undergoes successful surgery", "WWE Wrestlemania 30 live coverage & results: The Streak is over, Daniel Bryan's reign begins", "Raw News: Rock surprise return, Reigns non-live return, Edge back on TV, Lesnar MIA, next week's Raw guest star, more", "How and why everything went so badly wrong for WWE last night at the Rumble", "Rock's role, crowd response to Rumble winner, Bully Ray returns & other surprise entrants, more", "Daniel Bryan was eliminated early from the Royal Rumble and fans are furious", "SHOW RESULTS 6/27 WWE in Boston, Mass. [85][87] On December 13, 1998, at the pay-per-view named after him, Rock Bottom: In Your House, the Rock had a rematch with Mankind for the WWF Championship. This led to a match with Triple H, at Over the Edge on May 23, 1999, which the Rock won,[98] and a match for the WWF Championship against The Undertaker, at King of the Ring, which the Rock lost. [77][78] On January 19, 1998, at the Royal Rumble, the Rock defeated Shamrock by disqualification to retain the Intercontinental title. He does! [179], The Rock appeared live on Raw in his hometown of Miami to celebrate his 39th birthday. The Rock later saved Cena from an assault by Big Show, only to be laid out by CM Punk. On Jan. 15, 2020, Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson died due to a pulmonary embolism that caused a heart attack. boxers and shorts when they arrested him at his parents' house. It has been revealed that Rocky was kicked out of his house at 13 and was homeless,and that it shaped the man he would become. They then worked together to fend off an attack by The Corre, which at the time consisted of Wade Barrett, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, and Ezekiel Jackson. The show stars Johnson and other actors playing younger versions of the actor. [118][119] The following night on Raw, he successfully defended his title against Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage match. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Where Are Dwayne Johnson Parents From? The Rock then aligned with McMahon and the WWF. [155] The Rock then took time off to kickstart his acting career. When he tried to do a post-show speech for the crowd, the fans at Nassau Coliseum still booed him. [214], On August 3, 2019, the Rock officially announced his retirement from professional wrestling. Actor: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. [69] Behind the scenes, Hart mentored Johnson for his first year in WWF[70] and refused to be booked to take the title from him. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has strong ties to both his parents, who raised him between the U.S. and New Zealand. Rocky eventually took over leadership of the "Nation" and began taking the persona of The Rock. Johnson left WWE in 2004 and returned in 2011 as a part-time performer until 2013, making sporadic appearances until retiring in 2019. Following his graduation, he signed with the Calgary Stampeders but was cut from the team in his first season. An injury ended his college football career, so he entered the ring with the WWE. He later joined another band of elite wrestlers known as The Corporation and began a notorious feud with Steve Austin. Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? [292], In 2021, Johnson co-starred with Emily Blunt in The Walt Disney Company's Jungle Cruise, as Frank Wolff and Lily Houghton, respectively. In the late 1990s, I used Comfort's training materials to train the church I was pastoring at the time to evangelize unbelievers. Why Does Everyone Love Dwayne Johnson, The Rock? The Rock seemed to have the upper hand, until his teammate Jericho entered the ring and attacked the Rock. Ata is a daughter to the Samoan high chief Fanene Leifi Pita Maivia (popular as Peter Maivia). I asked her, Are you happy ma?. They were friendly and being an older and more experienced wrestler at the time, Maivia was the one who trained Rocky. Its title is Grand Chief Tafiaiafi. [36] [37] His mother is the adopted daughter of Peter Maivia, who was also a professional wrestler. 14 interesting things about The Rock's parents. [359], In 2007, Johnson began dating Lauren Hashian, the daughter of Boston drummer Sib Hashian. Dwayne Douglas Johnson Occupation American actor, producer, and semi-retired professional wrestler Birth Date May 2, 1972 Age 50 years Zodiac Sign Taurus Birthplace Hayward, California, United States Education University of Miami Nationality American Dwayne Johnson family members Father's Name Rocky "Soulman" Johnson Mother's Name The Anoai family of Samoa is notable for producing many famous wrestlers. Dwayne Johnson's (The Rock) Ethnicity, Parents, and Background Details. [216] At the event, he would cut a promo with Becky Lynch before they were interrupted by King Corbin. Ray Comfort is an Evangelical evangelist known for his slick (and shallow) evangelism methods. [195], On January 27, at the Royal Rumble, CM Punk would seemingly defeat the Rock after the arena lights went out and someone attacked the Rock. Although no lives were lost the new car the actor bought for his mother was destroyed without any hope of repair. The union between Rocky and Ata resulted in the birth of their son Dwayne. They were happy, but there were troubles for everyone with all the moving around. He also has a 20-year-old daughter with his ex-wife Dany Garcia. He is the son of Ata Johnson (born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia) and professional wrestler Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles). [360] They first met in 2006 while Johnson was filming The Game Plan. [242] He did not vote in the 2016 election,[345] and is an independent voter as of 2017[update]. Even before meeting her husband (and later ex-) Rocky Johnson at a match, Ata was already rooted in professional wrestling as the daughter of the legendary High Chief Peter Maivia. What Is Will Smiths Religion, Is He A Christian? [87][88], In the main event of the January 4, 1999, episode of Raw Is War, Mankind defeated the Rock for the championship after interference from Stone Cold Steve Austin. Lauren is the daughter of Sib Hashian who worked as a drummer for the rock band Boston. Despite the complexity of the relationship with his father, Dwayne and his mom are very close. [3] Maivia, a clean-cut face character, was pushed heavily from the start despite his wrestling inexperience. With the first official teaser trailer released in October 2018, the project marks Kasdan and Johnson's third collaboration, following Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. Playing my grandma, Lia Maivia is, Ana Tuisila. flipped into Sports . "We go down this unpredictable road of life and we never know what's around the corner - so we do our best to treat every day for what it is - a true blessing," he wrote. [173], On September 30, 2009, the Rock appeared at a World Xtreme Wrestling (WXW) show to support the professional wrestling debut of Sarona Snuka, the daughter of his long-time friend and mentor Jimmy Snuka. Due to a previous marriage before marrying Ata, Rocky had two other children before he moved to Canada. But the most important thing is that my family has lived through this and we can hug each other even more these days. The Rock returned in late July 2001 when the WWF was feuding with rival promotions World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) during what is known as The Invasion storyline. Dwayne Johnson is back to save the world in the new trailer for New Line Cinema's "Rampage." "Rampage" is based on the 1980s video game and will feature three monsters who are wreaking . Johnson was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California. Peaks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: 1991 Miami Hurricanes footballAP national champions, People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor, St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, WWE/World Wrestling Entertainment/Federation, Deadly Games WWF Championship Tournament (1998), "The Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time", "The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All time Reviewed in Wrestling Perspective", "Dwayne Johnson Movie Box Office Results", "The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2016: The Rock Leads With Knockout $64.5 Million Year", "Suspension at Freedom High took Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson from troubled teen to one of world's 'most likable people',", "20 Surprising Facts About Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson", "The Rock has 'quietly retired' from wrestling in the WWE", "WWE Isn't Bringing Back The Attitude Era, But An Edgier Product Can't Hurt", "The 23 most successful movie franchises of all time", "Ratings: 'Ballers' Ends First Season as HBO's Most-Watched Comedy in Six Years", "Hiram Garcia Named President of Production at Seven Bucks Prods", "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson buys XFL for $15 million with partner Redbird Capital, per report", "The World's 100 Most Influential People: Dwayne Johnson", "Dwayne Johnson, Taylor Swift, Gayle King, more cover Time's 100 most influential people issue", "Dwayne Johnson Biography: Film Actor, Athlete (1972)", "Dwayne Johnson How The Rock Transformed from Pro Wrestler to Bankable Movie Star", "Rocky Johnson, Professional Wrestler and Father of Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson, Dies at 75", "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson: Rugby's the toughest sport I ever played", "Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Irish heritage revealed", "Watch: We chat to Dwayne Johnson about Hercules, getting ripped and his Irish roots", "Through The Years Dwayne 'Not Just The Rock' Johnson", "The Anoa'i family wrestling dynasty: photos", "Samoan Strength: The Rock's Family Tree Is A Wrestling Dynasty", "The Rock's Grandfather Was a Bond Villain: Could It Be Another Family Business? 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list and remained on the list for several weeks. Dwayne Johnson is a third-generation wrestler. Rocky Johnson (Played by Joseph Lee Anderson) With a chiseled physique and oozing charisma, it was no surprise that Dwayne's father Rocky Johnson enjoyed a Hall of Fame career. In real life, Dwayne has two siblings: a brother, Curtis Bowles, and a sister, Wanda Bowles. The film began principal photography in September 2018, and was released on July 26, 2019. [177], On April 3, at WrestleMania XXVII, the Rock opened the show by cutting a promo. His name was an important part of his identity as a fighter Rocky changed his given name from Wade as a tribute to boxing champs: Rocky MarcianoandJack Johnson, who is known for being the first black heavyweight boxing champion. [136][137] The next night on Raw, he teamed with Jericho to win the WWF Tag Team Championship from The Dudley Boyz. [53][30] Despite playing four years there, Johnson found himself behind elite players on the depth chart, including future NFL star and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Warren Sapp, and appeared mostly in backup roles. This is the woman who when I was 14yrs old we were evicted out of our apartment in Hawaii cause we couldnt afford the $180 per week rent, the caption continues. [96], The Rock's popularity continued to grow and audiences still cheered for him even though he was a heel. With the critical and financial success of Welcome to the Jungle, production of the movie began in early 2019, and was released on December 13, 2019. [94][95] The Rock then lost the WWF Championship to Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania XV on March 28, 1999. He debuted on Monday Night Raw as a member of Marc Mero's entourage on November 4, 1996. He has been a Jack of many trades and yet a master of them all. [203] Johnson underwent surgery on April 23 to reattach the torn tendons. [156], The Rock returned on the January 30, 2003, episode of SmackDown! [207][208][209] The Rock appeared at WrestleMania 31 on March 29, 2015, alongside Ronda Rousey, getting into an in-ring altercation with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. As the series time hops through his life, viewers will see actors Adrian Groulx (age 10), Bradley Constant (age 15), and Uli Latukefu (age 18-20) playing younger versions of the star. London. In 2003 his marriage to Rocky Johnson ended and we think theyve both been flying solo since then. His father was born in 1944, and he passed away in 2020. [90][91] On January 31, during an episode of Sunday Night Heat, the Rock and Mankind participated in an Empty Arena match, a match that took place in an arena with 22,000 empty seats where any part of the facility could be used to contest the match. The Rock then resumed his feud with Triple H, as the two had a two out of three falls match at Fully Loaded: In Your House for the Intercontinental title, which the Rock retained in controversial fashion. Johnson's father, "Soulman" Rocky Johnson . Here's what we know about them in real life. Dwayne Johnson has obviously made his mark as an actor, a wrestler, and one of the hottest stars out there, but he's also a proud family man.In fact, the "Black Adam" actor is a girl dad, and . Who Is Dwayne Johnson ? Dwayne is the only child of Ata and Rocky Johnson, although his father did have two other children with one of his other wives. Over his acting career, he became one of the highest paid and most successful actors in Hollywood. Parents Dwayne Johnson Says He's Grateful for Thanksgiving with Family: 'We Count Our Blessings' Johnson shared on Instagram that he and his mother still get emotional over the holiday. Dwayne Johnson poses for a selfie with fans during the world premiere of San Andreas at Odeon Leicester Square. There, he was named the number one contender for the WWE Undisputed Championship, which he won for a record-setting seventh time at Vengeance, on July 21, by defeating Kurt Angle and then-champion The Undertaker in a Triple Threat match. ALSO READ: Dwayne Johnsons Tattoos And His House. The Rock was also given the privilege of having his own signature match, like The Undertaker with the Buried Alive match, Kane with the Inferno Match and Mankind with the Boiler Room Brawl: the Brahma Bullrope match, a variant of a strap match was a normal singles match where the components are tied together with a rope used for cattle farming, and the rope and its attached cowbell could both be used as weapons. [153] This was evident by the fact that he was met with a negative crowd response during his match against Lesnar. [157] Because of negative fan reaction during his previous couple of matches as a result of his budding acting career, The Rock turned heel for the first time since 1999. ", He concluded: "I got one parent left, so if you still got your mom and dad make sure you hug 'em hard, cos you never know when you'll get that 3am call we never want to get. [191] On the January 7, 2013, episode of Raw, the Rock returned to confront his Royal Rumble opponent CM Punk. Meanwhile, Rocky kept pushing for himself and his family and it paid off. [309] Production on Black Adam began filming in April 2021 with it set to release on October 21, 2022. [178] The following night on Raw, the Rock and Cena agreed to a match at WrestleMania XXVIII the next year. "Angels of mercy watched over my mom as she was in a car crash late last night," Johnson wrote in the caption. They lost against Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista in a handicap match at WrestleMania XX on March 14, 2004, when Orton pinned Foley after an RKO. He'd later turn his life around and become a top-recruited football player at the University of Miami before finally entering the wrestling ring at 23. Rocky had two children from a previous marriage before he married Ata and moved to Canada; his son Curtis Bowles and daughter Wanda Bowles, who are both Dwaynes half-siblings. [357][358] On June 1, 2007, Johnson and Garcia announced they were separating amicably,[357] and their divorce was finalized in May 2008. But the professional wrestler-turned-actor, 50, also has another identity -- he is a doting father of his three daughters. He was a member of Team WWF along with Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, Kane, and Big Show. Rocky Soulman Johnson had a complicated relationship with Dwayne, but his career as a hall of fame wrestler certainly had an impact on his son. After plying his trade in New Zealand and Australia, he became one of the well-known stars in the then-called WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation). However, Peter Mavia later adopted Ata. It is set to rival other long-standing bodybuilding shows such as The Arnold Classic and Joe Weider's Mr. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. Johnson went to UM thanks via a football scholarship to the institute, where Garcia was pursuing an undergraduate degree in Business Administration. The wrestler who became an actor was born in the house of Ata Johnson (ne Maivia) and the professional wrestler Rocky Johnson. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [236], The Rock made a surprise appearance at the official Xbox unveiling during Bill Gates's keynote speech at the ongoing Computer Electronics Show in 2001. AM cardio starts now.. then breakfast, then hit the weights, then on to set of FAST 6. The Alliance and Vince McMahon then both attempted to persuade the Rock to join their team. He then lost the title rematch against Stone Cold Steve Austin at Backlash: In Your House on April 25, 1999. [327][328], In 2000, Johnson published his autobiography, titled The Rock Says, which he co-wrote with Joe Layden. Olympia. The Rock for the Undisputed Championship", "SummerSlam 2002: A look back at a landscape-shifting moment in WWE history", "Throwback Thursday: Looking back at WWE Summerslam 2002", "WWE SmackDown! The Rock's number one contendership for the WWF Championship was then put on the line against Big Show at No Way Out on February 27, 2000, which Big Show won after Shane McMahon interfered. Maivia is a cherished figure within the industry even after her death in 2008. Next up for the action star was Rampage, based on the popular 1980s arcade game, which hit theaters a few months before the July release of Skyscraper. Dwayne often expresses his appreciation for the dedication his mother, who is also a cancer survivor, put into raising him, even buying her a house for Christmas in 2018.