Dwayne Douglas Johnson, professionally known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California, to Ata Johnson and professional wrestler Rocky Johnson.
His father, born Wayde Douglas Bowles, hailed from Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was of black descent, tracing his roots back to Black Nova Scotian heritage. On the other hand, his mother, Ata Johnson, was of Samoan background, with her father, Peter Fanene Maivia, also a professional wrestler.
During his childhood, Dwayne traveled extensively with his parents, often watching his father perform in the ring. This exposure likely sparked his interest in the world of professional wrestling.
As he entered his high school years, Dwayne began to focus on football, eventually receiving a full scholarship to the University of Miami. His impressive performance on the field earned him tremendous success, but a back injury in 1995 forced him to reassess his future in the NFL.
Undeterred, Dwayne signed a three-year deal with the Canadian League but left after a year to pursue a career in professional wrestling.
He made his debut in the USWA under the name Flex Kavanah, winning the tag team championship alongside Brett Sawyer. In 1996, Dwayne joined the WWE, adopting the persona of Rocky Maivia and joining the group "The Nation of Domination." Over time, Rocky Maivia evolved into The Rock, and he began to take on a leadership role within the group.
As the "Nation" disbanded, The Rock joined the elite group "The Corporation," sparking a memorable feud with Steve Austin. However, he was eventually kicked out of the group and turned face, becoming known as "The People's Champion."
In 2000, The Rock took a hiatus from the WWE to film his appearance in The Mummy Returns (2001). He returned in 2001 during the WCW/ECW invasion, joining a team of WWE wrestlers in The Scorpion King (2002),a prequel to The Mummy Returns.
Today, Dwayne is a proud father of three daughters: Simone Alexandra Johnson, born in 2001, with his ex-wife Dany Garcia, and Jasmine and Tiana Gia, born in 2015 and 2018, respectively, with his wife, singer and songwriter Lauren Hashian.
