We’re all familiar with The Rock as the most electrifying man in WWE, sports and entertainment, but here are 10 things you might not know about “The Great One."
Classmates thought he was an undercover police officer
By the age of 15, young Dwayne Johnson had already sprouted a full moustache and shot up to his full 6’ 4”. This led to his classmates believing there was no way he was their age and had to be an undercover. This is referenced in his current show “Young Rock” of which he is the narrator.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree
In 1995, Johnson graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of General Studies and a dual major in criminology and physiology. He had been given a full athletic scholarship as a budding high school football star.
He played in the Canadian Football League
Following graduation, Johnson was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL. He moved from defensive tackle, his previous position, to linebacker. He was cut just two months into the 1995 season, paving the way for him to enter the wrestling industry.
The Rock WWE Champion
One of his most famous terms is now recognised in the dictionary
The Rock popularised the derogatory term “Jabroni” in the 1990s, which he claimed to have learned off The Iron Sheik. The term was added to Dictionary.com in 2020, a testament to Rocky’s star power.
He played his dad on an episode of That 70s show
By 1999, The Rock was one of the most famous men in sports and entertainment. He portrayed his father Rocky Johnson in the season 1 episode titled “That Wrestling Show.” In the episode, Red Forman accompanied Eric, Kelso and co. to a local wrestling match.
He is a member of the Saturday Night Live 5-timers club
The Rock’s superstardom led him to first hosting SNL in March 2000. He then went onto host the show again in 2002. 2009, 2015 and 2017. He joined the likes of Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, and Will Ferrell in achieving the feat.
The Rock
He is a best-selling author
In 2000, Johnson published his first book, an autobiography titled “The Rock says…” which he co-wrote. The book debuted at No.1 on The New York Times Best Seller list and remained on the list for weeks. A symbol of his mainstream appeal.
He sang in the Disney film Moana
In 2016, The Rock played the voice of demigod Maui in the Disney animated film Moana. As part of the film, he sang the extremely catchy “You’re Welcome.” The song peaked at 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.
He officiated the wedding of a long-time fan
The Rock became an ordained minister in 2015 to officiate the surprise wedding of his long-time fan and ScreenJunkies Nick Mundy.
He is the owner of the XFL
In 2020, The Rock along with business partners, including his ex-wife Dany Garcia, purchased the XFL from Vince McMahon. The American Football league was initially launched in 2001 to little success but will return in 2023 under The Great One’s leadership.