Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known by his ring name "the Rock," is an American actor, professional wrestler, and business owner. Born on May 2, 1972, he is signed to WWE on a part-time basis and serves as a board member of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE. He is also co-owner of the United Football League and co-founder of Seven Bucks Productions. Johnson gained early fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) during its Attitude Era, wrestling full-time for eight years before pursuing acting. His films have grossed over $11.4 billion worldwide.

Johnson was born in Hayward, California, to Mataniufeagaimaleata "Ata" Fitisemanu and professional wrestler Rocky Johnson. He comes from a wrestling lineage that includes his father, uncle, and maternal grandparents. During his youth, Johnson briefly lived in Auckland, New Zealand, attending Richmond Road Primary School before returning to the United States. He attended secondary schools in Connecticut, Hawaii, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania, graduating from Freedom High School in 1990. Encouraged by his high school football coach, Johnson joined the football team, alongside the track and wrestling teams.

Johnson accepted a full athletic scholarship to play defensive tackle at the University of Miami, where he was a member of the 1991 national championship team. He appeared in 39 games, mostly as a backup, recording 4.5 sacks and 77 tackles. In 1995, he graduated with a Bachelor of General Studies in criminology and physiology. After going undrafted in the 1995 NFL draft, Johnson signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as a linebacker, but was cut two months into the season.

In 1996, Johnson entered professional wrestling, performing in the United States Wrestling Association as Flex Kavana before signing with the WWF. Debuting as Rocky Maivia, he won the Intercontinental Championship in 1997. Adopting the charismatic persona "the Rock," he became a 10-time world champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, five-time Tag Team Champion, 2000 Royal Rumble winner, and WWE's sixth Triple Crown champion. Johnson left WWE in 2004, returning as a part-time performer from 2011 to 2013, making sporadic appearances until retiring in 2019, and returning again in 2023.

Johnson made his feature film debut in The Mummy Returns (2001) and starred in his first lead role in The Scorpion King (2002). He subsequently starred in family features like The Game Plan, Tooth Fairy, and the Jumanji films, as well as action movies such as G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Hercules, San Andreas, Rampage, and Skyscraper. He joined the Fast & Furious franchise as Luke Hobbs beginning with Fast Five (2011) and played the title character in Black Adam (2022). Additionally, he voiced Maui in Moana (2016) and Moana 2 (2024).

Johnson received critical praise for portraying MMA fighter Mark Kerr in the biopic The Smashing Machine (2025). He also produced and starred in the HBO series Ballers and the autobiographical sitcom Young Rock. His 2000 autobiography, The Rock Says, became a New York Times bestseller, and Time magazine named him one of the world's most influential people in 2016 and 2019.