Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

From his humble beginnings as a college football player to his rise as one of the most influential Black and Samoan wrestlers in WWE history to his current status as a Hollywood star, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s journey to the top has been nothing short of remarkable. 

Born in 1972 in Hayward, California, Dwayne Johnson was thrown into a life surrounded by wrestling and Samoan culture. His maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, was a legendary Samoan wrestler in the 1960’s and ‘70s while Johnson’s father, Rocky “Soul Man” Johnson who had Black and Irish roots, wrestled professionally in 1965 and became a WWE Hall of Famer in 2008. Growing up, Johnson faced significant challenges including poverty, racism, and instability within his family. He was drawn into a culture of conflict and petty crime and was arrested multiple times for fighting, theft, and check fraud all before the age of 17. Everything changed for him when his high school football coach saw his athletic potential and recruited him to play for the team. Johnson ended up being a standout athlete and accepted a full athletic scholarship to play football at the University of Miami, where they won the 1991 NCAA championship. He aspired to play professional football but despite those aspirations, he went undrafted in the 1995 NFL draft. 

In 1996 after his football career didn’t pan out the way he planned, he turned to wrestling, joining the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment – WWE). He quickly became a fan favorite due to his charisma, athleticism, and impressive skills. He debuted as “Rocky Maivia,” paying tribute to his father and grandfather, before transitioning to his widely known ring name now, “The Rock.” His career was extremely notable, capturing 10 World Championships and being the first of African American descent to do so for the WWE. On top of that, he is a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a five-time Tag Team Champion, the 2000 Royal Rumble winner and WWE’s sixth Triple Crown champion. 

In 2002, he landed his first leading role in The Scorpion King. This role opened the door for Johnson, gaining more significant opportunities in Hollywood. In 2004, he left the ring to turn his attention to acting full-time. Johnson finally caught his big break in 2011 when he had his first box office success in Fast Five, and the rest was history. He went on to found the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation, which provides programs to enrich and empower the lives and self-esteem of children who are hospitalized for medical disabilities, disorders, and illnesses. Johnson found himself on Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2016 and 2019, which goes to show that apart from acting and wrestling, he serves as an inspiration to many and will continue to break barriers and reach higher heights.