Dwayne Johnson, byname The Rock, (born May 2, 1972, Hayward, California, U.S.), American professional wrestler and actor whose charisma and athleticism made him a success in both fields. Johnson was born into a wrestling family. His maternal grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, emerged on the professional scene in the 1960s and ’70s. Johnson’s father, “Soulman” Rocky Johnson, worked the American regional wrestling circuit and boxed; in 1974 he was a sparring partner for George Foreman, then preparing for “the Rumble in the Jungle” with Muhammad Ali. However, the younger Johnson initially preferred the gridiron to the mat. He was a