Dwayne Johnson Abandoned His Wrestling Roots for $5.5 Million Payday – Became Highest Paid First Time Lead Actor By Not Being The Rock

Known professionally in the past as ‘The Rock’ during his days as a professional wrestler in the WWE, Dwayne Johnson has had a meteoric rise in the world of fame and fortune. All thanks to the shift in his career from a fighter to a major Hollywood movie star, he now sits at the top of the film business hierarchy due to his dedication to his work.
Dwayne Johnson.
While Johnson may now be one of the most popular and desired individuals on the planet today, he also made a name for himself when he entered the Hollywood industry after taking his leave from the world of professional wrestling with The Scorpion King. This film became the work of his life that solidified his legacy for years to come.

Dwayne Johnson Rebuilt Himself To Enter The Hollywood Industry!
Dwayne Johnson in a still from The Scorpion King.
With his introduction as Rocky Malvia in the world of professional wrestling, Dwayne Johnson would soon change his life after becoming The Rock, one of the most influential and celebrated wrestling superstars in history. But for the Baywatch star, success in the professional wrestling business wasn’t enough, as his heart lay in the world of cinema. Thus, to become part of the film industry, he decided to leave his legacy and stage name behind to create the original identity of Dwayne Johnson.

The year was 2002, and the world was ready to be graced by a new cinematic franchise that followed the roots of The Mummy franchise, which was one of the most popular pieces of cinema at the time. The Scorpion King would also help Johnson turn his career in the right direction from the start, as this film gave him a paycheck of $5.5 Million. His salary was recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest paycheck to a new actor in the Hollywood industry.

Not only was the payday an astronomical feat, but the performance that the Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle star brought to the franchise, would spread the word that a new and unstoppable talent has entered Hollywood, and he is here to stay. The film, along with receiving critical praise, also made headlines at the box office, as it found tremendous commercial success. Thus, ditching his wrestling heritage gave chance to Johnson to make his dreams come true.

What’s Next For Dwayne Johnson?
The Rock is cooking!
While he might’ve suffered a major setback in the form of the disaster that was Black Adam in the recent past, Johnson is not someone who will stay affected by it for long. With the news about his upcoming Holiday special Red One finishing production, The Rock has made sure that the show would go on. Apart from that, he is also in talks with Disney to bring the success of Moana to the real world with a live-action adaptation of the superhit animated film in the future.