Landing his most successful leading film opening weekend with his film Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson is at the top of his game
Landing his most successful leading film opening weekend with his film Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson is at the top of his game. He’s charmed his way through blockbusters, voice acting in a Disney film, and securing numerous brand deals along the way, making him one of the highest-paid actors in all of Hollywood and showcasing how far he’s come since his stint as a professional wrestler.
But there are many things most people wouldn’t know about him or the stories behind some of his most popular roles. Like how he decided on the name ‘The Rock’ for his wrestling persona or how his Disney character Maui was influenced by one of his family members. Here are ten things you may not know about Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
10 How He Got His Name
For his wrestling persona, Dwayne Johnson debuted his name within the ring representing his family. While many may think the name ‘The Rock’ was inspired by ideas of strength, it’s a nickname for the name he chose – Rocky Maivia. His father and grandfather, Rocky Johnson and Peter Maivia respectively, were combined to respect and honor his family’s legacy in wrestling. The Rock nickname was born out of the fans of the sport and the champion himself.
9 His Passion For Criminology
Dwayne Johnson didn’t originally plan to become a professional wrestler or an actor. He was a stellar football player and even won an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Miami, but his career with the sport was short-lived after graduation. However, Johnson had another passion at school – criminology. He had a dream of becoming a CIA agent for many years but realized he couldn’t achieve it with the grades he had. Though he did graduate with a degree in criminology in the end.
8 Best Selling Author
Back when Johnson was known only for his pro wrestling career, he took up another mantle as an author with his book The Rock Says…, which was an instant success.
The book came out in 2000 and spent many weeks at the top of The New York Times list of bestsellers. The memoir chronicled his life before finding himself in the ring and then what it was like inside of it and also an intimate look into his personal life at the time. There have also been numerous books written about Johnson, such as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: The Life, Lessons & Rules for Success, but this is the only book so far that is told from the man himself.
7 The Roles He Almost Had
While he’s landed roles in widely successful franchises such as Fast & Furious and Jumanji, there were certain roles he was considered for that could have taken his career in a different direction.
One of those roles was in Tim Burton’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory as the man behind the factory, Willy Wonka, which ultimately went to actor Johnny Depp. The reason for his dismissal was that Burton felt he was too new to the industry at the time for a leading role. He also lost out on playing the titular character of the Jack Reacher franchise to Tom Cruise, showing how he was dismissed for larger stars. Little did they know Johnson would go on to become one of the biggest stars in all of Hollywood.
6 His Troubled Youth
In high school, Dwayne Johnson started to go down a dark path when he entered the wrong circles and started participating in petty crimes. He ended up being arrested for theft, fraud, and for fighting numerous times. He had a reputation for his criminal activities, but his high school football coach took a chance on him and saw potential to turn him around. He enlisted him onto the football team and helped him leave behind a troubled past, starting an athletic career that perhaps saved his life.
5 A World Record Champion
It seems Johnson can do it all and has, even going on to set multiple Guinness World Records. Most have involved his achievements in film and television, such as the record for the highest salary for a debut leading man with his film The Scorpion King. But he also held the record, until broken in 2018, for the most selfies taken in three minutes with a total of one hundred and five photos. The camera just seems to love him as much as his fans do.
4 His Unusual Diet
To obtain peak physical condition you have to adhere to a certain strict diet, which has often been explored with Johnson’s openness about exactly when, how much, and what he eats daily. He’s stated he intakes about six thousand calories with five to seven meals per day, whether it’s for a role. He eats the standard workout meals of chicken, rice, and vegetables, but his cheat days are legendary. He’s indulged in massive stacks of pancakes, chocolate cookies, cheeseburgers, and other delicious sugary, and fattening meals. However, he draws the line at candy and says he hasn’t eaten any since he was a child.
3 It Runs In The Family
We already know his father and grandfather were pro wrestling fighters, but Johnson’s daughter has even entered the ring recently. He has three daughters, with his eldest, Simone Alexandra Johnson, making her own WWE debut in July 2022 under the name Ava Raine. Her debut marked history as she became the first four-generation wrestler in the WWE. But fighting isn’t the only thing that runs in the family. Johnson’s stunt double is even his very own cousin, Tanoai Reed, and has been for twenty years!
2 Character Design
Another familial connection, Dwayne Johnson has revealed that his iconic character Maui from the animated Disney film, Moana, was inspired by his grandfather. Peter Maivia, who was also part of Johnson’s persona as The Rock, looked very similar to Maui when he was younger. Johnson went on to confirm the physical similarities between the lovable demigod and his grandfather, the High Chief Maivia of Samoa. He brought light to his grandfather and proved he could also sing with the role.
Another familial connection, Dwayne Johnson has revealed that his iconic character Maui from the animated Disney film, Moana, was inspired by his grandfather. Peter Maivia, who was also part of Johnson’s persona as The Rock, looked very similar to Maui when he was younger. Johnson went on to confirm the physical similarities between the lovable demigod and his grandfather, the High Chief Maivia of Samoa. He brought light to his grandfather and proved he could also sing with the role.
1 Even Music Videos
Pro wrestling, acting in blockbuster hits, setting a world record – there’s little Dwayne Johnson hasn’t achieved in his life, including appearances in a handful of music videos. One of the most iconic cameos was in Taylor Swift’s video for the song “The Man,” as the titular voice. And before that he showed his love for the pop star on the TV show Lip Sync Battle, performing her song “Shake It Off.”
