Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock during his professional wrestling days, is the most successful wrestler-turned-actor. Johnson has had relative success as a former professional wrestler and actor. He’s popularly regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers ever and was instrumental to the growth and success of the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
As an actor, Johnson has appeared in films that have collectively grossed over $10 billion worldwide. His successful movies have helped increase his Hollywood status, making him one of the highest-paid and highest-grossing actors in the world. Johnson added superhero movies to his filmography by starring as Black Adam in the DCEU movie Black Adam. However, there’s more to the actor than his buffed-up physique and movie characters. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Black Adam’s Dwayne Johnson.
1. The Movies You Know Dwayne Johnson From
There are several popular and successful movies viewers would recognize Dwayne Johnson from. He’s the face of The Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Scorpion King (2002). Johnson is Agent 23 in 2008 Get Smart, Jack Bruno in Race to Witch Mountain (2009), and Derek in Tooth Fairy. He joined The Fast and the Furious film franchise in Fast Five (2011) as Luke Hobbs, reprising the role in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. Johnson played Hercules, was in the Jumanji film series, and Black Adam.
2. Dwayne Johnson Wanted A Career In Professional Football
Dwayne Johnson was a difficult teen who was easily involved in fights and petty crime. He had been arrested many times for fraud and theft. His Freedom High School football coach convinced him to join the team and channel his energy into playing defensive tackle.
Johnson finished High School and, with his football potential, was offered a full athletic scholarship by the University of Miami. He played for the university’s football team, Miami Hurricanes, but mostly as a backup. After graduating in 1995, Johnson signed on to Calgary Stampeders in Canada. However, he was dropped from the team before the 1995 season began.
3. Dwayne Johnson’s Family Had A History With Professional Wrestling
Dwayne Johnson did not stumble upon wrestling as a career choice by luck. His father was a professional wrestler with a ringside name, Rocky Johnson. Dwayne Johnson’s mother is the adopted daughter of another professional wrestler, Peter Maivia. The actor’s maternal grandmother was a pro wrestling promoter, regarded as one of the first females to do so. It’s no surprise, after starting his wrestling career with his name, Johnson’s first ringside name was a combination of his father’s and grandfather’s name, Rocky Maivia.
4. Dwayne Johnson’s Professional Wrestling Career
At the time, Pat Patterson, a veteran wrestler with the WWF, secured tryouts for Dwayne Johnson in 1996. Johnson made his professional wrestling debut on November 17, 1996, with the name Rocky Maivia. He was part of Marc Mero’s entourage for Monday Night Raw. Johnson’s first ring fight was about two weeks later, on November 17, 1996, in an eight-man Survivor Series elimination tag match.
In less than four months, Johnson has won the Intercontinental Championship. By November 15, 1998, two years after his debut, Johnson won his first of many WWF Championship. Johnson successfully changed his name from Rocky Maivia to The Rock in 1998. Johnson left WWE in 2004 and returned to make appearances, eventually quitting professional wrestling in 2019. The Rock was a force to be reckoned with, winning all major titles in the WWE.
5. The Nominations & Awards Dwayne Johnson Has Received
Dwayne Johnson has achieved many accolades and recognition as a pro wrestler and actor. During his time as a pro wrestler, The Rock won WWE Championship eight times, WWF Intercontinental Championship twice, WWF Tag Team Championship ten times, WCW Championship twice, and the Royal Rumble in 2000.
As an actor, he has received nominations at the Teen Choice Awards, People’s Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and MTV Movie & TV Awards. Johnson has also been honored by CinemaCon, Muscle & Fitness, People Magazine, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Dwayne Johnson received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017.
6. Dwayne Johnson Holds Several Guinness World Records
Winning a Guinness World Record is achievable with determination, talent, and skill. However, Dwayne Johnson has received five, and it doesn’t seem the actor is done. The Mummy Returns was Johnson’s first credited film, where he played The Scorpion King. To get him to play the lead role in the movie’s sequel, The Scorpion King, Johnson was offered $5.5 million. This was a Guinness World Record for the highest salary for a first-time lead actor.
In 2015, while promoting one of his movies, San Andreas, he broke a new record by taking the most selfies in three minutes. It doesn’t seem like a big deal until you try it. One qualifying requirement was to have the full face and neck of the photo’s subjects shown without blur. After disqualifying several shots, Johnson broke a new record by taking 105 qualifying selfies in three minutes.
7. Dwayne Johnson Has A Production Company
Dwayne Johnson founded Seven Bucks Productions, a company he founded in 2012. The production company has produced 13 movies, with 1 upcoming movie and about 26 films in development. The first movie listed under the company is the 2017 Baywatch. Other notable movies produced under the company are the Jumanji films, Skyscraper, Shazam!, Hobbs & Shaw, Red Notice, and Black Adam.
8. Dwayne Johnson as A Musical Artist
Believe it or not, Dwayne Johnson has released singles. The “You’re Welcome” single from the Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released in 2016. Although it peaked at 83rd on the US Billboard Hot 100, it received an RIAA 4x Platinum. Johnson has also been a featured artist on songs from Wyclef Jean and Tech N9ne. The songs were “It Doesn’t Matter” and “Face Off” from the albums The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book and Asin9ne, respectively.
9. TV Shows Dwayne Johnson Has Starred In
Dwayne Johnson has appeared in several television productions throughout his acting career. He played Brody on the “Last Man Standing” episode of Net (1999), The Champion in Star Trek: Voyager (2000), and Spencer Strasmore in Ballers (2015–2019). Johnson has also appeared as himself on several other shows. Good examples of such shows are Saturday Night Live, Hannah Montana, Wake Up Call, The Titan Games, and Behind the Attraction.
10. What Dwayne Johnson Is Doing Next
Dwayne Johnson’s next movie is Red One. Johnson will play Callum Drift in Jake Kasdan’s action-adventure Christmas movie. Dwayne Johnson will star alongside Chris Evans in the lead role, with Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, and J. K. Simmons will play supporting roles.
Red One will be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video during the 2023 holiday season.
Source: tvovermind.com
