Rock's Cooking

Background:

"The Rock is without a doubt the most electrifying man in sports entertainment today!" The Rock.

Known for his feud quotations, "if you can smell what The Rock is cooking" and "know your role," wrestling idol Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock, caught the public's attention by becoming the youngest intercontinental champion of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The Rock, who tops at 6' 5" and 275 lbs, who became People's Sexiest Wrestler (November 1999), later turned to acting and gained his eminence starring in The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Scorpion King (2002). He performed his own stunt work in both movies.

After blasting onto the Hollywood screen, The Rock recently announced that he would give up wrestling and give politics a try. He confirmed, "Well, contractually, my contract was up. It came and went last year, at the end of the year last year, and it was an interesting way it all came out. I wasn't contacted or notified or anything like that. It wasn't until my own team had basically congratulated me [saying], 'Oh my God, what a wonderful career you've had. Congratulations!' It's like, 'Really. It's done?' I wish it would have gone down a little bit different. For that part, I'm sad about it."

A Wrestler Successor

Childhood and Family:

Part African, American and Samoan, Dwayne Douglas Johnson, nicknamed The Rock, was born on May 3, 1972 in Hayward, California. He is the only child of former legend WWF wrestler Rocky Johnson (African-Canadian, born in 1945) and Ata Johnson (Samoan). He is also the grandson of ex-wrestler Peter Fanene Maivia, who died on June 13, 1982.

The Rock, a brilliant student, attended the Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and won a full scholarship to the University of Miami where he majored in Criminology and minored in Exercise Physiology.

On May 3, 1997, The Rock married his college sweetheart Dany Garcia Johnson (born on November 29, 1968, CEO of an investment firm). They currently have one daughter, Simone Alexandra Johnson, who was born on August 14, 2001.

Ring Champ Turns Scorpion King

Career:

"I always knew that I was going to get involved in the industry at some point because I was always very close to it and I had an affinity for the dramatic, physical story that wrestlers are able to tell in the ring." The Rock.

One of the best defensive tackles in the nation at age 14, The Rock continued his football career with the Miami Hurricanes of University of Miami and won a National Championship in 1991. His accomplishment scored him a contract with the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders.

Possessing wrestlers' blood, The Rock followed his ancestors' track and joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in March 1996. After wrestling in WWF's USWA, The Rock debuted in WWF on November 17, 1996, under the name Rocky Maivia. During his career in WWF, The Rock became a three-time WWF World Champion, three-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, and three-time WWF Tag Team Champion. However, a knee injury forced him to take a break from wrestling.

Added to his accomplishments in the ring, The Rock managed to appear on screen guest appearing on the TV hit Saturday Night Life and The Tonight Show. He eventually was launched to stardom by nabbing the lead role in the Mummy Returns (2001) and its sequel, The Scorpion King (2002). After his striking appearance on his debut films, The Rock continued to act in such films as The Rundown (2003) and the remake of the classic movie Walking Tall (2004).

As of 2005, he shared the screen with John Travolta and Danny DeVito in Be Cool, a sequel to the popular Get Shorty (1995). He will also work in the upcoming video game-based movies Doom (August, 2005) and Spy Hunter (2006). Currently, The Rock is scheduled to do Gridiron Gang and Species Human, all due for a 2006 release.

Awards:

• Teen Choice Awards: Film - Choice Sleazebag, The Mummy Returns (2001)