From the rings of WWE to the world’s highest paid actor of 2016, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s rise to stardom has become a great success story, proving hard work, a charming personality and a rock-hard smile can get one on roads to fame.
Dwayne Johnson WWE. Source: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk
Most that make the transition from the ring of competitive wrestling to the set of a Hollywood film often find it a struggle to continue a successful career, but that has not been the case for Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. “The Rock”. After finishing his WWE career in 2004, he gained stardom as the typical “big guy” in bigger productions. But as of recent, on top of being named one of the most influential people, and one of the most powerful celebrities, he has also come out on top as the world’s highest paid actor of 2016.
After spending nine years in the ring, Johnson retired in 2004 before returning for sporadic appearances from 2009 onwards. His fans loved him in the ring for his unique ability to control the crowd, as well as being able to shut his rivals down with his signature catch phrase “It doesn’t matter”. With this came the memorable rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the smack down match with wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, during which Johnson claimed victory after using the infamous “People’s Elbow”.
After breaking away from wrestling, he made his big breakthrough in 2001 when he starred in the sequel to the 1999 hit The Mummy, and in the following year reprising his character in the standalone movie in which he played the lead character in The Scorpion King.
Following the success of The Scorpion King, Johnson moved onto bigger and ultimately better roles taking the lead in 2003’s The Rundown starring alongside American Pie’s own Seann William Scott, as a retrieval expert sent to South America in a poor snatch-and-grab attempt that puts them on the bad side of a sadistic Christopher Walken.
With this major success came call backs from major film studios that saw him as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood over the next few years. Johnson gained notoriety for his diversification of movie roles that branched from The Race To Witch Mountain, Get Smart, Fast Five, and Snitch.
But 2013 onwards have been his best and brightest years yet, with the release of Michael Bay’s Pain and Gain that saw Johnson team up with Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Mackie as part of a bodybuilding gang who would assault clients before forcing them to sign over their assets.
Along with Pain and Gain came one of Johnson’s biggest roles of his career, playing the Greek demi-god in the 2014 film Hercules. Recently, Johnson has been named the highest paid actor in the world along with being called one of the most influential people by Time Magazine. His upcoming blockbusters scheduled for release in the New Year include Baywatch and an untitled Jumanji reboot. One thing is for sure, his career is not slowing down.
What are thoughts on the charming Dwayne Johnson? What’s your favourite film of his? Comment below.
