Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Bio: From the WWF to G.I Joe

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Bio: From The Ring to G.I Joe He is the People’s Champ. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be learning more about the life and career of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Dwayne Douglas Johnson was born May 2nd, 1972 in Hayward California. Johnson’s family had a history in the ring, and his famous father was Canadian wrestler Rocky Johnson. In his youth, Johnson relocated frequently to follow his dad’s wrestling gigs, and he spent extended stays in New Zealand, Hawaii and Pennsylvania. This helped Johnson develop and early interest in the sport. Even though his heart belonged to wrestling, he spent much of his high school career as a member of the football team. His athletic talent earned him a scholarship to the University of Miami, and there he met his future wife and earned a Bachelor of General Studies in 1995, which included degrees in Psychology and Criminology. Johnson was on track to land a spot in the NFL when he was sidelined by a back injury. He then took a job in the Canadian Football League as a defensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders, where he stayed for less than a year. Johnson decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and entered the world of pro wrestling. At that point, Johnson adopted the ring name “Flex Kavana,” which he quickly changed to “Rocky Maivia” in an effort to honor the legacy of both his father and his grandfather. Over the next few years, Johnson built himself up as a fan favorite. He then made it to the big leagues by joining the WWF. The Rock as he was now known had even developed an interest in entertainment outside the ring, and accepted an offer to host “Saturday Night Live.” This led to more mainstream recognition and allowed The Rock to win several typecast roles, including that of an alien wrestler on “Star Trek: Voyager.” The Rock made his motion picture debut in 2001’s “The Mummy Returns.” That film proved so successful he was given his own spinoff: “The Scorpion King.” Johnson earned a reputation as the man destined to fill the action icon role vacated by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who by that point had become Governor of California. Due to mounting buzz, Johnson quit wrestling in the mid-2000s to take on more screen roles. While he did star in action flicks like “The Rundown,” “Walking Tall” and “Doom,” he also defied expectations by playing a gay Samoan bodyguard in the comedy “Be Cool” and a youth worker in “The Gridiron Gang.” He even chose to sign a contract with Disney, and appeared on such shows as “Cory in the House” and “Hannah Montana.” In 2007, Johnson’s personal life underwent a major change when his marriage ended. In spite of this important personal event, Johnson stretched his comedic muscle in film roles like a cocky football player in “The Game Plan,” and a super agent in “Get Smart.” Johnson then continued starring in films aimed at younger audiences. He starred in the Disney remake of “Race to Witch Mountain,” appeared as an astronaut in the animated feature “Planet 51,” and portrayed a hockey enforcer turned Tooth Fairy. Of course, that didn’t stop Johnson from taking on more action-oriented part as well. He appeared in “Faster,” then as an outrageously overconfident super cop in “The Other Guys,” and finally put the pedal to the metal in “Fast Five.” In recent years, John retuned to “SNL,” and made us laugh with his Hulk parody of Barack Obama, appropriately called “The Rock Obama.” He also starred in a string of blockbusters, like 2012’s “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.” He has also returned to professional wrestling. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an athlete with unusual looks and charm, not to mention the trademark eyebrow. He has proven himself an entertaining action icon, as well as a family-friendly personality. Not bad for a guy who used to make a living slamming his half-naked opponents with the back of a chair.