Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson isn't the first member of his family to find fame, as his dad was a force to be reckoned with in the sporting world too. The Smashing Machine star, 53, was sadly estranged from his father when he died in 2020 but that's not to say Dwayne didn't draw inspiration from him. So, who was Rocky Johnson, and how did he become such a trailblazer?
Rocky was born Wayde Douglas Bowles. He was a Canadian professional wrestler who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008. Rocky made history as the first Black NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion as well as the NWA Television champ. He and his wrestling partner, Tony Atlas, also became the first Black champions in WWE history.
© Getty ImagesHe trained Dwayne
Rocky was his son's wrestling trainer but was initially reluctant for Dwayne to enter the business. Dwayne has spoken openly about how hard his dad was on him during training. "He’d kick my ass from one side of the gym to the other for years," he said on social media. "I hated it when I was a kid, but grateful for it as a man."
In another post he confessed: "I was 13 and [he'd] say 'If you’re gonna throw up, go outside. And if you're gonna cry, then go home to your mother.' I hated it then, but I embrace it now. Made a man outta me."
Strained relationship
Their father-son relationship was a challenging one and Dwayne has confessed to having "daddy issues," admitting "my old man was a tough MF on me." Dwayne is playing MMA fighter Mark Kerr in the movie, The Smashing Machine, but told reporters at the Venice Film Festival that he didn't draw inspiration from his father for the character.
© Getty ImagesExplaining Mark is a "walking contradiction," who is a great fighter but also "gentle, tender and empathetic," Dwayne added: "I don't think my dad was an inspiration in terms of his tenderness. It wasn't really my dad. He was homeless by the time he was 13, so his capacity for love was very limited, and that's the man that raised me."
How did Rocky Johnson die?
© Getty ImagesRocky died of a heart attack when he was 75 years old. Dwayne later explained that a blood clot broke free and traveled to one of his lungs.
They were estranged at the time and Dwayne wrote a heartfelt tribute to him on Instagram that read: "Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. I'm in pain. … You lived a very full, very hard, barrier-breaking life and left it all in the ring. I love you dad and I’ll always be your proud and grateful son."
