Profile of the Day: Dwayne Johnson

Posted May 2, 2022 by Amanda | No Comment

Happy birthday to Dwayne Johnson! Today the actor and former professional wrestler turns 50.

Image: Dwayne Johnson / Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Johnson was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California to Ata Maivia and Rocky Johnson, a former professional wrestler. His maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, was also a professional wrester and a member of the famous Anoa’i family of wrestlers. A standout athlete, Johnson attended the University of Miami on a full football scholarship. After a short career with the Canadian Football League, Johnson decided to pursue a career as a professional wrestler. He made his WWF debut in 1996 as “Rocky Maivia,” a name that paid tribute to both his father and grandfather. Johnson eventually began to refer to himself in the third person as “The Rock.”

In 2001, Johnson made his first appearance on the big screen with a role in The Mummy Returns, This new phase of his career would prove to be incredibly successful. Since deciding to pursue acting full-time, Johnson has starred in a number of high profile action films, including four installments of the Fast and Furious franchise and the spin-off film Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, and family comedies such as Moana and Jungle Cruise.

Explore Dwayne Johnson’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re connected to the star.