The Rock is Rolling: Dwayne Johnson Heralded by Forbes as History’s Highest Paid Actor
Are you looking to laugh? Want to cry? Prefer some good ole’ testosterone-fueled one-liners? Well then, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is your guy. An actor, producer, and semi-retired professional wrestler, Johnson was just named as the Highest Paid Actor of All Time by Forbes for the second year running. His earnings topped $124 million in 2018 — and he amazingly doubled his pay from 2017. What’s more is that as his earnings continue to increase, his popularity shows no signs of lagging. The Rock has become a veritable Mt. Everest towering over Hollywood — one of the most admired and sought-after stars in the world.
Keeping it Humble
Ever since he crossed over from the WWE in 2001, Johnson has appeared in at least one movie (and sometimes five!) per year. While he entered Hollywood as a burly hunk who could be depended on to turn a mediocre action flick into a must-see film, he has shown that he’s about more than his muscles alone. He’s a leading man like few other — but through all his success, he has kept it real, never forgetting where he came from.
Johnson was born in 1972 to a pro wrestling family. His father was Rocky Johnson and his grandfather was “High Chief” Peter Maivia. Even his grandmother was in the game — Lia Maivia was one of pro wrestling’s early female promoters. Growing up in California as well as New Zealand, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania, he attended the University of Miami, where he played defensive tackle on the Miami Hurricane’s national championship team in 1991. Then, in 1996, he joined the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE), where he became known as “The People’s Champion.” It was only a few years later that he turned to Hollywood. It didn’t take him long to light up the silver screen.
Billions (It’s Not Just a Show He’s In)
Since the beginning of his acting career, Johnson’s movies have brought in billions of dollars collectively. A staple in the Fast and Furious movies, as well as The Mummy Returns, The Scorpion King, Central Intelligence, San Andreas, and 2018’s Skyscraper, Johnson published The Rock Says, his autobiography, which debuted at №1 on The New York Times Bestseller list.
A Mountain of Endorsement Deals
And it’s not just film studios and charitable organizations who want Johnson front and center. Indeed, Apple, Droga5, Ford, and Got Milk, have all shouldered up to the star. Furthermore, as the face of Under Armour, Johnson and his backer were ranked as the #1 highest scoring endorsement deal of 2018 by research company Spotter. Johnson is truly holding all the aces in the way of top-line endorsement deals.
Electrifying On The Screen — and Off
Johnson is quick to offer his thanks to his fans — but he doesn’t only talk the talk, he walks the walk. Johnson supports myriad charities and foundations, including Make-A-Wish, I Have a Dream Foundation, and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. He is the National AfterSchool Association spokesman and is outspoken in his devotion to helping kids facing medical crises through the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation. From a political point-of-view, he has been toying with the idea of running for President in 2020. Sure, it might seem far-fetched to some, but even Ronald Reagan was an actor-turned-politician!
A Social Media Guru to Boot
Of course, outside of Johnson’s on-screen presence and his activism, there is an additional secret to his success: He is an absolute social media genius. With hundreds of millions of Instagram and Facebook followers, Johnson keeps it real online. Just as he is unpretentious in his approach to stardom, the same holds true for how he connects with his fans. He’s quick to give fans a glimpse behind the curtain, into his life, not only using the social platforms to promote his acting trade, but also to show that he’s a pretty normal guy — a doting father, a loyal friend, and good partner to his long-time girlfriend. It also doesn’t hurt that he never hesitates to be quite the joker; he regularly trolls friends like Kevin Hart and Chris Hemsworth. His social media expertise even landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records — taking the most selfies ever in three minutes during the London premiere of San Andreas.
Ultimately, Johnson’s savviness both on and off-screen is why he has propelled to the uppermost echelons of stardom — and his keeping it real approach to connecting with the people who fill theater seats serves as the foundation for his success.
