Happy Birthday to one of the biggest stars alive today: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson!
Yes, May 2 marks fifty years since 'The Great One' took his first breath on our planet - and what an incredible 50 years he has had.
From humble beginnings, Johnson is the son of the late professional wrestler Rocky Johnson and mom Ata Johnson - whose father, 'High Chief' Peter Maivia, was also a professional wrestler.
And despite being one of the most recognizable faces alive on the planet today, there was a time when Johnson was struggling to make ends meet.
Credit: Paul Smith / Alamy
In fact, in a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed that when he was 14, his family was evicted and forced off the island of Honolulu, Hawaii. "We didn’t have a place to live. I wound up moving to a little motel outside Nashville, Tennessee," he told the outlet.
Johnson recalled how he would steal steaks from a nearby grocery store - only to realize he had no way of cooking them in the motel rooms he was staying in.
Despite a promising future, at the age of 22, Johnson found himself cut from the Canadian Football League after signing with the Calgary Stampeders as a linebacker.
"Dream shattered. Sent home with seven bucks in my pocket," he once told his fans in an Instagram video. That specific memory is what led to Johnson naming his production company Seven Bucks Productions - which has since helped to produce some of the actor's greatest movies.
After being dropped from the CFL, Johnson followed in his father's footsteps and trained to become a professional wrestler.
In his first televised match for the WWE (then WWF) in 1996, Johnson was known as Rocky Maivia - a tribute to both his father and grandfather. Soon after, he would become known simply as The Rock.
Rock and his father, Rocky Johnson, during his father's WWE Hall of Fame Induction in 2008. Credit: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy
Throughout his career in the WWE, Johnson went on to win 10 world championships, have two Intercontinental Championship runs, win the Tag Team Championships five times, and main event WrestleMania with the likes of Stone Cole Steve Austin and John Cena.
But mainly, his career in the WWE cemented him as one of the greatest entertainers in the world - and he was soon noticed by Hollywood and given his big break in The Mummy Returns (2001) as the Scorpion King.
From there, Johnson has become one of the most sought-after names in the movie industry - churning out blockbusters such as Hobbs & Shaw, Baywatch, Jungle Cruise, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Moana.
Per the Daily Mail, Johnson's movies have grossed more than $10.5 billion worldwide.
Off-screen, he is also the co-founder of brands such as Teremana Tequila and Zoa Energy, current co-owner of the XFL, has a successful clothing line with Under Armour. His partnership with ex-wife and businesswoman Dany Garcia has led both of them to great success.
Rock with his eldest daughter, Simone Johnson. Credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy
At home, Johnson shares one daughter with Garcia, 20-year-old aspiring pro-wrestler Simone Johnson. He also shares two young daughters with his current wife, Lauren Hashian.
From having just seven bucks in his pocket at the age of 22 to being one of the biggest stars to have ever lived. Happy 50th birthday, Rock!
On August 18, 2013, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has married his long term partner and mother of two of his three children, Lauren Hashian. So, to celebrate the 47-year-old's nuptials, we've compiled a list of what you need to know about one of Hollywood's leading men - and, quite frankly, one of the nicest me to ever grace the silver screen.
[post_page_title]The Early Years[/post_page_title]
Dwayne Johnson was born in May 1972 in Hayward, California. And despite very much being classed as one of America's greatest stars as an adult, he did briefly spend some of his childhood living in New Zealand with his mother's family.
[caption id="attachment_1837" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: YouTube[/caption]
However, by the time he was old enough to attend elementary school, Johnson had returned to the US. He went onto move around a little but spent the majority of his formative years living in Honolulu, Hawaii, and while this is unremarkable enough, you could argue that Johnson was destined for greatness even then, coming from two generations of wrestlers.
[post_page_title]Dwayne's Father[/post_page_title]
Dwayne's father is Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson, who earned himself legendary status in the ring because he was a part of the first African-American tag-team champions.
[caption id="attachment_1869" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
His grandfather, Peter Maivia, also found success as a wrestler, and he was one of the first Samoan wrestlers. But contrary to what was in his blood, at first, Dwayne chose a different sporting path.
[post_page_title]Before Wrestling There Was Football[/post_page_title]
By the time Dwayne had graduated from high school, he knew that he wanted to take sports more seriously and while at college, he played for the Miami Hurricanes.
[caption id="attachment_1838" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
This eventually culminated in him becoming a part of the 1991 national championship team, giving him a collective 39 games and 77 tackles to his name.
[post_page_title]His First Wife[/post_page_title]
But playing football wasn't the only significant life event to happen to Dwayne at college, it's also where he met his first wife and mother of his oldest child, Dany Garcia. They were together for a decade, and despite their split, remain on good terms.
[caption id="attachment_1839" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"Since our divorce, we've become pretty good at working together, and we are also raising our beautiful daughter, Simone," Johnson said.
[post_page_title]The End Of Dwayne's First Dream[/post_page_title]
Although Dwayne had a promising start as a footballer and could have very well gone on to become a NFL start, he was forced to quit the sport after a number of injuries.
[caption id="attachment_1840" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"The dreams I had, they're dashed," he recalled. "There is no more football. My relationship was crushed. That was my absolute worst time."
[post_page_title]Rocky Maivia[/post_page_title]
Then, fate stepped in, and Dwayne's attention finally turned to the family sport - wrestling. He began his career, like many, in the WWE minor leagues.
[caption id="attachment_1841" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
Once he'd honed his craft, he made his TV debut at the 1996 Survivor Series. He combined his father and grandfather's names to initially fight under the name "Rocky Maivia."
[post_page_title]The Greatest Ever?[/post_page_title]
The Rock wasn't just an incredibly talented wrestler, he also made history just by entering the ring in the first place. This is why...
[caption id="attachment_1842" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
Dwayne was the first third-generation wrestler in WWE's history, and even though he's now retired, many still consider him to be the greatest wrestler to ever enter the ring.
[post_page_title]His Signature Moves[/post_page_title]
Dwayne made his mark on the ring in more ways than one and actually came up with moves of his own including the 'The People's Elbow' and 'The Rock Bottom.'
[caption id="attachment_1843" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
All of which ultimately resulted in the Rock winning the WWE heavyweight title six times and the tag team title six times.
[post_page_title]He Proved Himself On SNL[/post_page_title]
By this point, the Rock was a hit in the ring, and it wasn't just the sporting world who took notice, Hollywood did too and invited him for a stint on SNL.
[caption id="attachment_1844" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
He smashed it too, and the ratings went through the roof. Dwayne had shown the world that he wasn't just a talented wrestler, he was a talented actor too.
[post_page_title]The Mummy Returns[/post_page_title]
This resulted in Dwayne bagging his first professional acting gig in the 2001 movie The Mummy Returns, where he played the villainous ruler, the Scorpion King.
[caption id="attachment_1845" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Universal Pictures[/caption]
Dwayne was paid $5.5 million for the role, which was the most any actor had ever been paid for a debut, and he went onto reprise his role as the Scorpion King in a sequel of the same name.
[post_page_title]His Big Break[/post_page_title]
However, even though Dwayne's role as the Scorpion King came with a big paycheque, it wasn't for another two years that people, generally speaking, accepted him as an actor.
[caption id="attachment_1846" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Universal Pictures[/caption]
This happened with 2003's The Rundown. "The Rock has a flair for action and comedy," Rolling Stone wrote. "He's a real movie star."
[post_page_title]The New Schwarzenegger?![/post_page_title]
Prior to Dwayne's early foray into the world of acting, the world's best-known action hero was arguably Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even then, people thought he might just rival Arny...
[caption id="attachment_1848" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"Whether The Rock will rival Schwarzenegger's long run as an action hero is hard to say," Ebert wrote. "But on the basis of 'The Rundown,' he has a good chance."
[post_page_title]The Rock No More[/post_page_title]
When Dwayne's acting career took off, he realized that he was going to have to be known by his given name and not The Rock.
[caption id="attachment_1850" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"'The Rock' was a name, a character I created in TV," he said. "When I made the transition into film, I knew eventually I was going to be billed as my given name."
[post_page_title]His Acting Range[/post_page_title]
As Dwayne appeared in more movies, he showed the world that he had real range as an actor, such as when he starred in comedies like The Other Guys.
[caption id="attachment_1851" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Columbia Pictures[/caption]
"I felt there were bigger and better opportunities," Johnson said. "I also felt there was franchise potential, hopefully multiple franchises in every genre - whether drama or comedy or action-comedy."
[post_page_title]But It Wasn't All Sunshine And Roses[/post_page_title]
At the MTV Movie & TV Awards, the wrestler-turned-movie star was honored with the Generation Award. And if there's one thing Johnson excels really excels at, it's that he really knows how to captivate an audience. And that's exactly what he did in his acceptance speech.
[caption id="attachment_1856" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
The 47-year-old stunned the crowd as he recounted his rather demoralizing experience during his early days in Hollywood. When Johnson started out, he says was repeatedly told he would have to change certain aspects about himself if he wanted to make it.
[post_page_title]They Didn't Know What To Do With Him[/post_page_title]
"When I first got to Hollywood, Hollywood - they didn’t know what the hell to do with me," he told the audience. "I was this half-black, half-Samoan, 6 foot 4, 275-pound wrestler."
[caption id="attachment_1857" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"I was told at that time, you’ve gotta be a certain way," he revealed. "You've gotta drop some weight, you've gotta be somebody different."
[post_page_title]Hollywood's Terrible Suggestions[/post_page_title]
"You've gotta stop working out, stop doing the things that I love, you've gotta stop calling yourself 'The Rock,'" he continued.
[caption id="attachment_1858" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"For years, I actually bought into it because you think, ‘Oh, that’s what I’m supposed to do.' And I was miserable doing that, so I made a choice. The choice was, I wasn't going to conform to Hollywood; Hollywood was going to conform to me."
[post_page_title]He Is A First Class Dad Too[/post_page_title]
As we all know, this worked out and now Dwayne enjoys not only the spoils of being one of the world's most successful actors but fatherhood.
Standing at six feet, five inches tall and weighing around 240 pounds, you'd think that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson would be more comfortable punching Jason Statham in the face than he would be manning a six-year-old's tea party - but you'd be wrong.
[caption id="attachment_1859" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
After comfortably making the transition from greatest wrestler in the world (don't @ me) to the most bankable movie star in the world, it turns out that The Rock is a better dad than you too.
[post_page_title]The Baby Rock[/post_page_title]
He already has a 17-year-old daughter with ex-wife Dany Garcia, but since shackin' up with Lauren Hashian, he's come up with two more Baby Rocks for us to coo over, and the smallest of these Rocks is featured in the most adorable video ever made.
[caption id="attachment_1860" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
Baby Tiana Gia was only born in 2018, but she's already getting on handsomely with her daddy, and this conversation they had is a pretty good example of that.
[post_page_title]Morning Convos[/post_page_title]
"Morning convos!" Hashian captioned a post on social media, which shows The Rock and Tiana chitter-chattering away, with the tot getting to know her daddy in a deep, intellectual way.
[MediaContent]https://www.instagram.com/p/BlbB5ADnauh/[/MediaContent]
There's something about dads chatting with their babies, isn't there? Making sense of the gibberish that comes from their underdeveloped mouths. Deztin Pryor went viral the other day for the conversation he had with his son, and that was only slightly less adorable (if only because Deztin Pryor is not Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson).
[post_page_title]The Highest-Paid Actor[/post_page_title]
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to come across as one of the nicest stars in Hollywood. After making the transition from WWE legend to star of the silver screen, he's now the highest-paid actor in the world, according to Forbes.
[caption id="attachment_1862" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
But unlike many people who make it big, the 46-year-old has not forgotten his roots, and he has shared his many millions with his nearest and dearest.
A clearly emotional Dwayne said at the start of the video that he'd just finished "a great call" with his dad, Rocky Johnson - a legend in the professional wrestling world.
[post_page_title]A Present For His Dad[/post_page_title]
Dwayne then revealed that a few weeks ago, he'd offered to buy his dad a new home anywhere he wanted to live - an offer which he says left the 74-year-old "speechless".
[MediaContent]https://www.instagram.com/p/Bueo4U4hJVr/[/MediaContent]
And now that the WWE Hall of Famer is about to start looking at properties, he said to his son, "I'm so excited and I'm so nervous," Dwayne revealed. He explained that his father was "an old school tough guy" and that he'd never heard him talk in such an emotional way before.
[post_page_title]Rocky Beat His A*s[/post_page_title]
The Jumanji star then thanked Rocky for "beating [his] ass", and even though he "hated it back then", he's "so grateful for it now".
[caption id="attachment_1864" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
He captioned the emotional clip with the following message:
"He's a weathered soul and like all weathered souls, there's often a harsh storied path that got them there.
"Well for my pops that path started at 13yrs old when his mom kicked him out of his house on Christmas day and forced him to live on the streets (very true and f***ed up story) so his reality of compassion and love was forged thru pain and toughness."
[post_page_title]How The Rock Was Raised[/post_page_title]
"He raised me with that tough physical love and used to beat my ass in the gyms and on wrestling mats. I hated it then as a little boy, but grateful for it today as a man.
[caption id="attachment_1865" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
"It's shaped my DNA and helped inform how I raise my own babies (minus the ass kickings;) but always instilling the value of hard work and discipline."
However, this is certainly isn't the first time that the actor has shared his kindness on social media. Another person who was instrumental in Rock's success was his stunt double and cousin, Tanoai Reed, who he surprised in October of last year with a brand new car.
[post_page_title]The Rock's Second Marriage[/post_page_title]
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson tied the knot with his longtime partner, Lauren Hashian, on August 18, 2019.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1V5m7WFfUy/
[/MediaContent]
The 47-year-old actor took to Instagram to share the news, and also posted several pictures from the special day. "We do. August 18th, 2019.Hawaii.@laurenhashianofficial @hhgarcia41," he captioned the snap.
The pictures show the newlyweds posing by the water in Johnson's native Hawaii.
[post_page_title]The Well Wishes[/post_page_title]
The pair, who have been together since 2007, have two daughters together; three-year-old Jasmine, and 15-month-old Tiana.
[caption id="attachment_1867" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
The comments section was inundated with well-wishes from The Rock's fans. "Congratulations, you two!!! ❤️ I’m so happy for you!" wrote one social media user, while another added, "The rock gave her a rock."
[post_page_title]The Wedding Was Postponed[/post_page_title]
Johnson and Hashian were due to marry in the spring of 2018, but postponed the event when Hashian fell pregnant with their second child.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiFVYGIlJ-E/
[/MediaContent]
Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine at the time, the retired professional wrestler said that his partner didn't want to have a "big belly" in her wedding photographs.
[post_page_title]Mama Wanna Look Good[/post_page_title]
"Then we got pregnant. And Mama don't wanna take wedding pictures with a big belly – Mama wanna look good," he joked to the publication.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcql9vMFB1D/
[/MediaContent]
Johnson said that they weren't "exactly" trying to conceive again, but had been "talking about it" prior to the fact.
[post_page_title]Another Strong Girl[/post_page_title]
Speaking about the birth of his youngest child, Tiana, (he also has an 18-year-old daughter from his previous marriage to Dany Garcia) The Rock said he was "blessed and proud to bring another strong girl into this world."
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrRuOdFHIC0/
[/MediaContent]
"I was raised and surrounded by strong, loving women all my life, but after participating in baby Tia’s delivery, it’s hard to express the new level of love, respect and admiration I have for and all mamas and women out there," he continued.
The acclaimed wrestler, who became the first African-American WWE tag team champion, passed away on the evening of Wednesday, January 15. The cause of death has not been made public yet, but he died at his home in Lutz, Florida.
And now, The Rock has taken to his Instagram page to pay emotional tribute to his late father with a beautiful message. He wrote;
"I love you. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. The boy you raised with the toughest of love. The intense work. The hard hand. The adoring boy who wanted to know only your best qualities. Who then grew to become a man realizing you had other deep complex sides that needed to be held and understood. Son to father. Man to man. That’s when my adoration turned to respect. And my empathy turned to gratitude. Grateful that you gave me life. Grateful you gave me life’s invaluable lessons. Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we both know it’s just pain and it’ll pass. Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish. Finally, I want you to rest your trailblazing soul, Soulman. Pain free, regret free, satisfied and at ease. You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son. Go rest high. #ripsoulman #rockyjohnson ?" [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/B7bC7pGFiPc/]]
And tributes to the late wrestler poured in on social media.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a bona fide Hollywood legend. After beginning his career as a college football player before injury forced him into the ring, and, by chance, onto the big screen, he is now the world's highest-paid actor. And to celebrate the 47-year-old's nuptials, we've compiled a list of what you need to know about Hollywood's top guy!
[post_page_title]The Early Years[/post_page_title]
Dwayne Johnson was born in May 1972 in Hayward, California. However, by the time he was old enough to attend elementary school, Johnson spent the majority of his formative years living in Honolulu, Hawaii. Where he would marry the love of his life years decades later...
[caption id="attachment_1837" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: YouTube[/caption]
[post_page_title]Dwayne's Father[/post_page_title]
Rock came from greatness. Dwayne's father is Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson, who earned legendary status in the ring because he was one-half of the first African-American tag-team champions. His grandfather, Peter Maivia, also found success as a wrestler, and he was one of the first Samoan wrestlers. But contrary to what was in his blood, at first, Dwayne chose a different sporting path.
[caption id="attachment_1869" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Before Wrestling There Was Football[/post_page_title]
By the time Dwayne had graduated from high school, he knew that he wanted to take sports more seriously and while at college, he played for the Miami Hurricanes. This eventually culminated in him becoming a part of the 1991 national championship team, giving him a collective 39 games and 77 tackles to his name.
[caption id="attachment_1838" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]His First Wife[/post_page_title]
But playing football wasn't the only significant life event to happen to Dwayne at college, it's also where he met his first wife and mother of his oldest child, Dany Garcia. They were together for a decade, and despite their split, remain on good terms. "Since our divorce, we've become pretty good at working together, and we are also raising our beautiful daughter, Simone," Johnson said.
[caption id="attachment_1839" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The End Of Dwayne's First Dream[/post_page_title]
Although Dwayne had a promising start as a footballer and could have very well gone on to become an NFL start, he was forced to quit the sport after a number of injuries. "The dreams I had, they're dashed," he recalled. "There is no more football. My relationship was crushed. That was my absolute worst time."
[caption id="attachment_1840" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Rocky Maivia[/post_page_title]
Then, fate stepped in, and Dwayne's attention finally turned to the family sport - wrestling. He began his career, like many, in WWE's minor leagues. Once he'd honed his craft, he made his on-screen debut at the 1996 Survivor Series. He combined his father and grandfather's names to initially fight under the name "Rocky Miavia."
[caption id="attachment_1841" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Greatest Ever?[/post_page_title]
The Rock wasn't just an incredibly talented wrestler, he also made history just by entering the ring in the first place. Dwayne was the first third-generation wrestler in WWE's history, and even though he's now retired, many still consider him to be the greatest wrestler to ever enter the ring.
[caption id="attachment_1842" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]His Signature Moves[/post_page_title]
Dwayne made his mark on the ring in more ways than one and actually came up with moves of his own including the 'The People's Elbow' and 'The Rock Bottom.' All of which ultimately resulted in the Rock winning the WWE heavyweight title eight times and the tag team titles six times.
[caption id="attachment_1843" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]He Proved Himself On SNL[/post_page_title]
By this point, the Rock was a hit in the ring, and it wasn't just the sporting world who took notice, Hollywood did too and invited him for a stint on SNL. He smashed it too, and the ratings went through the roof. Dwayne had shown the world that he wasn't just a talented wrestler, he was a talented actor too.
[caption id="attachment_1844" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Mummy Returns[/post_page_title]
This resulted in Dwayne bagging his first professional acting gig in the 2001 movie The Mummy Returns, where he played the villainous ruler, the Scorpion King. Dwayne was paid $5.5 million for the role, which was the most any actor had ever been paid for a debut, and he went onto reprise his role as the Scorpion King in a sequel of the same name.
[caption id="attachment_1845" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Universal Pictures[/caption]
[post_page_title]His Big Break[/post_page_title]
However, even though Dwayne's role as the Scorpion King came with a big paycheque, it wasn't for another two years that people, generally speaking, accepted him as an actor. This happened with 2003's The Rundown. "The Rock has a flair for action and comedy," Rolling Stone wrote. "He's a real movie star."
[caption id="attachment_1846" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Universal Pictures[/caption]
[post_page_title]The New Schwarzenegger?![/post_page_title]
Prior to Dwayne's early foray into the world of acting, the world's best-known action hero was arguably Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even then, people thought he might just rival Arny."Whether The Rock will rival Schwarzenegger's long run as an action hero is hard to say," Ebert wrote. "But on the basis of 'The Rundown,' he has a good chance."
[caption id="attachment_1848" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Rock No More[/post_page_title]
When Dwayne's acting career took off, he realized that he was going to have to be known by his given name and not The Rock. "'The Rock' was a name, a character I created in TV," he said. "When I made the transition into film, I knew eventually I was going to be billed as my given name."
[caption id="attachment_1850" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]His Acting Range[/post_page_title]
As Dwayne appeared in more movies, he showed the world that he had real range as an actor, such as when he starred in comedies like The Other Guys. "I felt there were bigger and better opportunities," Johnson said. "I also felt there was franchise potential, hopefully multiple franchises in every genre - whether drama or comedy or action-comedy."
[caption id="attachment_1851" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Columbia Pictures[/caption]
[post_page_title]But It Wasn't All Sunshine And Roses[/post_page_title]
At the MTV Movie & TV Awards, the wrestler-turned-movie star was honored with the Generation Award. The 47-year-old stunned the crowd as he recounted his rather demoralizing experience during his early days in Hollywood. When Johnson started out, he says was repeatedly told he would have to change certain aspects about himself if he wanted to make it.
[caption id="attachment_1856" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]They Didn't Know What To Do With Him[/post_page_title]
"When I first got to Hollywood, Hollywood - they didn’t know what the hell to do with me," he told the audience. "I was this half-black, half-Samoan, 6 foot 4, 275-pound wrestler. I was told at that time, you’ve gotta be a certain way," he revealed. "You've gotta drop some weight, you've gotta be somebody different."
[caption id="attachment_1857" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Hollywood's Terrible Suggestions[/post_page_title]
"You've gotta stop working out, stop doing the things that I love, you've gotta stop calling yourself 'The Rock'. For years, I actually bought into it because you think, ‘Oh, that’s what I’m supposed to do.' And I was miserable doing that, so I made a choice. The choice was, I wasn't going to conform to Hollywood; Hollywood was going to conform to me."
[caption id="attachment_1858" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]He Is A First Class Dad Too[/post_page_title]
As we all know, this worked out and now Dwayne enjoys not only the spoils of being one of the world's most successful actors but fatherhood. After comfortably making the transition from greatest wrestler in the world (don't @ me) to the most bankable movie star in the world, it turns out that The Rock is a better dad than you too.
[caption id="attachment_1859" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Baby Rock[/post_page_title]
He already has a 17-year-old daughter with ex-wife Dany Garcia, but since shackin' up with Lauren Hashian, he's come up with two more Baby Rocks for us to coo over. Baby Tiana Gia was only born in 2018, but she's already getting on handsomely with her daddy, and this conversation they had is a pretty good example of that.
[caption id="attachment_1860" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Morning Convos[/post_page_title]
"Morning convos!" Hashian captioned a post on social media, which shows The Rock and Tiana chitter-chattering away, with the tot getting to know her daddy in a deep, intellectual way.
[MediaContent]https://www.instagram.com/p/BlbB5ADnauh/[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]The Highest-Paid Actor[/post_page_title]
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to come across as one of the nicest stars in Hollywood. After making the transition from WWE legend to a star of the silver screen, he's now the highest-paid actor in the world, according to Forbes.
[caption id="attachment_1862" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
But unlike many people who make it big, the 46-year-old has not forgotten his roots, and he has shared his many millions with his nearest and dearest. Dwayne then revealed that a few weeks ago, he'd offered to buy his dad a new home anywhere he wanted to live - an offer which he says left the 74-year-old "speechless".
[MediaContent]https://www.instagram.com/p/Bueo4U4hJVr/[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]A Present For His Dad[/post_page_title]
And now that the WWE Hall of Famer is about to start looking at properties, he said to his son, "I'm so excited and I'm so nervous," Dwayne revealed. He explained that his father was "an old school tough guy" and that he'd never heard him talk in such an emotional way before.
[caption id="attachment_1863" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Rocky Beat His A*s[/post_page_title]
He captioned the emotional clip with the following message: "He's a weathered soul and like all weathered souls, there's often a harsh storied path that got them there. Well for my pops that path started at 13yrs old when his mom kicked him out of his house on Christmas day and forced him to live on the streets (very true and f***ed up story) so his reality of compassion and love was forged thru pain and toughness."
[caption id="attachment_1864" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]How The Rock Was Raised[/post_page_title]
"He raised me with that tough physical love and used to beat my ass in the gyms and on wrestling mats. I hated it then as a little boy, but grateful for it today as a man. It's shaped my DNA and helped inform how I raise my own babies (minus the ass kickings;) but always instilling the value of hard work and discipline."
[caption id="attachment_1865" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Rock's Second Marriage[/post_page_title]
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson tied the knot with his longtime partner, Lauren Hashian, on August 18, 2019. The 47-year-old actor took to Instagram to share the news, and also posted several pictures from the special day. "We do. August 18th, 2019. Hawaii."
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1V5m7WFfUy/
[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]The Well Wishes[/post_page_title]
The pair, who have been together since 2007, have two daughters together; three-year-old Jasmine, and 15-month-old Tiana. The comments section was inundated with well-wishes from The Rock's fans. "Congratulations, you two!!! ❤️ I’m so happy for you!" wrote one social media user, while another added, "The rock gave her a rock."
[caption id="attachment_1867" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Wedding Was Postponed[/post_page_title]
Johnson and Hashian were due to marry in the spring of 2018, but postponed the event when Hashian fell pregnant with their second child. Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine at the time, the retired professional wrestler said that his partner didn't want to have a "big belly" in her wedding photographs.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiFVYGIlJ-E/
[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]Mama Wanna Look Good[/post_page_title]
"Then we got pregnant. And Mama don't wanna take wedding pictures with a big belly – Mama wanna look good," he joked to the publication. Johnson said that they weren't "exactly" trying to conceive again, but had been "talking about it" prior to the fact.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcql9vMFB1D/
[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]Another Strong Girl[/post_page_title]
Speaking about the birth of his youngest child, Tiana, (he also has an 18-year-old daughter from his previous marriage to Dany Garcia) The Rock said he was "blessed and proud to bring another strong girl into this world."
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrRuOdFHIC0/
[/MediaContent]
"I was raised and surrounded by strong, loving women all my life, but after participating in baby Tia’s delivery, it’s hard to express the new level of love, respect and admiration I have for and all mamas and women out there," he continued.
As you may know, Dwayne Johnson's career started in the WWE wrestling ring. Johnson made his on-screen debut in 1996 at the WWE's Survivor Series PPV, under the ring name of Rocky Maivia - a combination of his father, Rocky Johnson, and grandfather, Peter Maivia.
Later known simply as The Rock, Johnson's family legacy resulted in him being billed as the very first third-generation Superstar in the company's history. Now, 24-years since his WWE debut, his 18-year-old daughter Simone is set to become the very first fourth-generation star in the company's history.
Related - The Rock "chats" with his baby daughter:
In a video shared by the WWE's official Twitter account, it was revealed that 18-year-old Simone, the daughter Johnson and his first wife and current business partner Dany Garcia, had been signed to a contract and will start training at WWE's Performance Center in Florida.
In response to the signing, Simone posted that she had always dreamed that wrestling would "be her life" and that she's "ready to work". She wrote:
"To the little girl who fell in love with wrestling & said “this will be my life one day”, this is for you. I’m humbled, grateful & ready to work. Let’s do this."
And Simone's father and former WWE Champion The Rock posted a heartfelt message to his first-born on Instagram, writing:
"Dreams ain’t just for dreamers. Congrats to my #1 born, Simone Johnson on officially signing her wrestling contract with @wwe @wwenxt and on her way to becoming the first ever 4th generation WWE athlete. Carry our family name proudly, but your road will always be yours to create, earn & own. So proud. Live your dream. Let’s work."
Speaking to WWE.com, Simone revealed: "It means the world to me. To know that my family has such a personal connection to wrestling is really special to me and I feel grateful to have the opportunity, not only to wrestle, but to carry on that legacy."
WWE Superstar and Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative Triple H (real name Paul Levesque), said of the signing:
"Simone Johnson’s unbridled passion and incredible drive has earned her a coveted spot training with the elite athletes from around the world at the WWE Performance Center. Not only does Simone now have an opportunity to cultivate and display her passion for WWE within the Performance Center, but she’ll carry on the tradition of her incredible family lineage while creating her own impact as WWE’s first fourth generation Superstar."
Matt Bloom, the head coach at the WWE Performance Center also told WWE.com: “Simone knows she has a lot to learn. She’s hungry to learn and picks the coaches' minds, and the veteran Superstars', as well. She's not going to rest on her laurels. It’s been a short time, but she’s been crushing it."
The good news comes a month after the passing of The Rock's father, WWE Hall of Famer and former Tag-Team Champion, "Soul Man" Rocky Johnson.
On the evening of Wednesday, January 15, the world of wrestling lost one of its greatest stars. Rocky Johnson, the father of WWE legend and Hollywood superstar Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, passed away at the age of 75.
Rocky, who had the distinction of being the first African-American WWE tag team champion, died in his home in Lutz, Florida. Following the news of his death, heartfelt tributes to the athlete poured in, and no tribute was more poignant than the one delivered by Dwayne himself.
Now The Rock has opened up in an emotional video about the cause of his father's untimely death.
In a video posted on his official Instagram account, the wrestler stated to the camera: "As you know, I lost my old man a few days ago. I lost him just like that, didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him. I would give anything right now to give him a big ole hug and a big ole kiss before he crossed over and just say thank you and I love you and I respect you. I didn't get a chance to say that, but such is life, as many of you know."
He added that Rocky died as a result of deep vein thrombosis, stating: "He had not been feeling well. He'd been battling a cold and infection and on Tuesday he had what's called a deep vein thrombosis, which is essentially a blood clot in the leg. It was a big old blood clot that broke free, traveled up his body and went right to his lung, clotted his lung and he died very quickly from a massive heart attack."
"I love you. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. [sic]"
He continued: "Son to father. Man to man. That’s when my adoration turned to respect. And my empathy turned to gratitude. Grateful that you gave me life. Grateful you gave me life’s invaluable lessons. Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. [sic'"
He added: "Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish.
"Finally, I want you to rest your trailblazing soul, Soulman. Pain free, regret free, satisfied and at ease. You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son. Go rest high. [sic]"