Many happy returns, Dwayne!

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has certainly come a long way since his humble beginnings as a wrestling wannabe.

From a record-breaking career in the ring, to being one of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars, the Rock has consistently proved his doubters wrong. On Thursday (02.05.24), he turns 52, so let’s take a look back at the life and career of one of the hardest-working men in the entertainment business.

A tough childhood

Dwayne Johnson was born in California on May 2, 1972, as the son of former professional wrestler Rocky Johnson. After finding fame, he recalled “struggling” a lot through his younger years as he watched his father work hard to make ends meet. He said: “I struggled a lot growing up, and I saw how hard my dad was working his a** off.”

Footballer-turned-wrestler

After graduating from college, Dwayne was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. However, his career on the field was short-lived and he soon moved into the ring, like his father. Veteran wrestler Pat Patterson secured several tryout matches for him and in 1996, at the age of 24, he was signed to the World Wrestling Federation.

Hollywood dreams

The Rock was, perhaps, the WWE’s biggest attraction around the turn of the century. But following his groundbreaking success in the ring, he decided to change things up entirely in pursuit of Hollywood stardom. He started out with roles in ‘The Mummy Returns’ and ‘Be Cool’ – but Dwayne really hit the big time when he starred as Luke Hobbs in 2011’s ‘Fast Five’.

‘My job is cool, but I’m trying to be a great dad!’

Dwayne eventually became a sought-after star in Hollywood. However, he always wanted to be an inspiration to his children and he chose his film roles accordingly. The wrestler-turned-actor – who has kids Simone, Jasmine and Tiana – explained: “I’ve got a pretty cool job, but man, I’m trying to be a great dad.”

Money, money, money

Dwayne is said to have had just $7 to his name when he became a wrestler in the 90s. But he’s now one of the most bankable and best-paid stars in the movie business, with a personal fortune estimated to be worth as much as $800 million. His life is a real rags to riches story.

‘You are not alone’: The Rock on mental health

The Rock is a keen advocate for the importance of mental health, having previously suffered from depression. The film star once said: “I found that, with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone. “You’re not the first to go through it; you’re not going to be the last to go through it … I wish I had someone at that time who could just pull me aside and [say], ‘Hey, it’s gonna be OK. It’ll be OK.'”

‘They told me to forget The Rock!’

When the ‘Black Adam’ star was kick-starting his career in Hollywood, he was told by those in the business that he had to “forget” about his wrestling persona. He said: “It was a defining moment when I finally decided that I wasn’t going to be ashamed of my past. I love my past. You can call me The Rock, you can call me Dwayne Johnson, you can call me daddy! Call me whatever you wanna call me.”

Back to where it all began

Amid his burgeoning acting career, the ‘Red Notice’ star virtually retired from the ring. The Rock only made sporadic appearances in the WWE until 2023, when he decided to make a shock return to wrestling, as part of a deal that landed him on the board of directors for TKO Group Holdings. Speaking about his return, Dwayne shared: “It comes back fairly quick … It’s like riding a bike!”

‘I love being famous!’

The Rock has been one of the most recognizable faces in the world for years, and the WWE star insists he doesn’t have any complaints about being famous. He said: “You will never hear me complain about fame. Ever. Ever.”