Dark Secrets About Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

1. He debuted as 'Rocky Maivia'

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You may or may not remember the first time Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson made his World Wrestling Federation (WWF) debut bac in 1996 under the name 'Rocky Maivia'.  This stage name was to pay homage to his father, Rocky Johnson, and his grandfather, Peter Maivia.

2. He's a third-generation wrestler

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It's true that wrestling runs in Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's blood.  He is, in fact, the third generation to have a wrestling career with his father, Rocky Johnson, being the second generation, and his grandfather, Peter Maivia, being the first to become a wrestler.

3. He was arrested 9 times before he was 17

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The wrestler-turned-actor admitted that he was arrested eight or nine times when he was a kid.  He said that most of his run-ins with the police were to do with pickpocketing, but he has also been in trouble for fighting and what he called "all kinds of other stupid stuff".

4. He has a turbulent past

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Despite being one of the most successful wrestlers, actors, and businessmen in the Western world, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson didn't always have it easy.  In fact, he had a pretty turbulent past, facing financial hardship and living in 13 different states by the time he was just 13 years old!

5. His first starring role made him serious cash

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's first major movie role was in The Mummy Returns and there have been reports that this movie made him serious cash.  In fact, he reportedly made over $5 million dollars back in 2001 and this got him into the Guinness Book of Records as "the highest payment for an untested actor".

6. He wasn't supposed to play Hobbs

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson didn't return as Luke Hobbs in Fast & Furious 9 but did you know that the part of Hobbs wasn't even originally written for him?  It was actually originally written for Tommy Lee Jones but it's safe to say that everyone is glad of the decision!

7. He has battled depression

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Despite appearing as one of Hollywood's 'tough' guys, back in 2018, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson shared his battle with depression and told his story of how he beat years of struggling with the world.  In fact, his bravery in opening up really did help a lot of people because his story encouraged others to open up and seek help too.

8. He enjoys ripping Kevin Hart

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Just a year ago, in the summer of 2022, top Hollywood actor, Kevin Hart accused Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson of bullying him on the set of Jumanji.  He said that whilst they were in the jungle, Johnson teased him with spiders and centipedes.  However, Hart gave as good as he got and ripped into Johnson in multiple interviews.  But it seems like it's out of a place of love!

9. He was involved in a local theft ring in Hawaii

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In Hawaii, tourist crime can be rife, and when Johnson was growing up, he was involved in a local theft ring that targeted unsuspecting tourists to the islands.  He did get arrested a few times for this and has since admitted it was completely wrong and described it as 'stupid'.

10. He's no stranger to controversy

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Being in the public eye is undoubtedly going to thrust your head first into the center of some controversy.  And Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is no stranger to it at all.  In fact, he has been accused of taking steroids regularly and was forced to apologize for his support of Joe Rogan.

11. He remains great pals with his ex-wife

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Despite being ex-husband and wife, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Dany Garcia are said to be on excellent terms.  The pair share two daughters together and announced they were divorcing amicably back in 2007.  However, they are still great friends today.

12. He eats seven meals a day

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson didn't get THAT big without having a good diet.  And his huge appetite sees him eating up to seven meals each day.  Sources have found that he gets up pretty early for his breakfast and likes to start the day with a breakfast of eggs, lean meat, oatmeal, and papaya.

13. He eats over 800lbs of cod a year

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After a bit of digging, sources found that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson likes a bit of cod.  And when we say a bit, we actually mean a lot.  In fact, Johnson is said to eat up to four portions of Alaskan cod a day which adds up to 1,000 calories every day and 821 pounds every year!

14. He has beef with Vin Diesel

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Everyone knows about the long-standing feud between Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Vin Deisel.  In fact, the Fast & Furious costars only agreed to do the eighth film in the series under the stipulation that they had no scenes together.  It's unclear why they're foes but it has been speculated that it's something to do with their different ideas on professionalism.

15. Did you spot him in Star Trek: Voyager?

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Of all of his appearances in blockbuster movies, we bet you didn't know about Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's very brief cameo in Star Trek: Voyager!  Or maybe you did...  He played the Pennari Champion in the sixth season episode that was entitled "Tsunkatse".

16. He was all set to play Johnny Bravo

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This might have unlocked a memory for you, especially if you enjoyed your cartoons in the mid-nineties!  Do you remember Johnny Bravo - the animated muscular flirtatious protagonist of Cartoon Network's popular cartoon?  Well, The Rock was set to play him in a live-action remake!  Interesting!

17. He was second in line to play Willy Wonka

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Now this one is hard to imagine, but an interesting fact nonetheless...  After his first choice of his pal Johnny Depp, Tim Burton actually had Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in mind to play Willy Wonka in his 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie.

18. He created a word

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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary was charmed by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as he actually managed to get a word into it!  In fact, he coined the portmanteau, "smackdown", during his many WWE trash-talks and it entered popular usage from there, making its way into the dictionary!

19. He introduced the first Xbox with Bill Gates

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If you're old enough to remember the first Xbox, you might remember how big and boxy it was and how clunky the controllers were.  What you might not remember is who introduced it with Bill Gates...  Well, it was none other than Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson!

20. He has a degree in Criminology

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Of his many talents and qualifications, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson also has a degree in Criminology.  He graduated from the University of Miami in 1991 and surprisingly, his ultimate goal before he became an athlete was to become a CIA agent!  However, he did admit that he got a reality check when his professor said that his grades weren't good enough for law school!

21. He has recently faced a disturbing lawsuit

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Trenesha Biggers, who is known as Rhaka Khan in the wrestling community alleged that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was just one in a list of high-profile celebrities who conspired to kidnap her and her children.  And these allegations have really forced him and his career into the spotlight.

22. He loves fishing

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You might be wondering what someone like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson does in his spare time.  Well, it might surprise you to find out that one of his best-loved hobbies is just ordinary fishing.  In fact, it is a relatively new hobby in his life and he pursues it when he is residing at his English stately home.

23. He set a Guinness World Record

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Forget The Scorpion King, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is the selfie

king!  In fact, he actually set a Guinness World Record for the most selfies taken by one person down The Red Carpet at a whopping 105 altogether!  He just couldn't let anyone miss out - what a guy!

24. He admitted to once using steroids

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is quite honest it turns out and in an interview he did a few years back, he admitted to once taking steroids when he was first training as an athlete.  The Wrestler turned Hollywood star also admitted to not knowing what he was doing at the time.

25. His dog died from eating a toxic mushroom

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson rescued his little French bulldog from drowning in his pool, but no more than a month later, something devastating happened.  The same little accident-prone pooch he rescued ate a toxic mushroom and tragically died from poisoning.

26. He's been at the center of a lot of rumors

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Being one of the most famous people in the Western world has its perks, but it also has its downers too believe it or not.  In fact, Johnson has been at the center of many rumors and these mostly speculate about his wrestling career, about why he quit, and whether he will return...

27. He was cut from the Canadian Football League after just one game

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Athleticism has been in Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's life for a long time.  And believe it or not, he did once get the chance to play football with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders in the mid-nineties.  He didn't make it to the NFL, however, and his stint in football didn't last too long.

28. He's grateful for the good and bad in his past

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has given us many memorable quotes about the importance of being grateful and how this mindset leads to happiness.  And the multitalented actor has said on a number of occasions that he is grateful for his whole life, even the not-so-good parts.

29. He's obsessed with Elvis

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You may or may not be surprised to hear that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson loves blasting out his Elvis records.  In fact, he unleashed his inner fanboy to the world when he was invited to Graceland for a private tour and a midnight musical interlude on the iconic steps.

30. He's more normal than you think

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It's true, despite his glamorous-looking lifestyle, and superhuman muscles, Dwayne Johnson will be the first to admit that he enjoys a lot of the normal things in life.  Things like walking his dog, playing with his daughters, sitting at home watching movies, and fishing.