Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Becomes Highest Paid Actor in Hollywood

From the squared circle to Hollywood, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has proven to truly be The Great One.

therockrichest
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, the highest earning actor in Hollywood. [Photo courtesy of WWE.com]

According to a release by Forbes on Thursday, Johnson is now the world’s highest-paid actor, edging out Robert Downey Jr. for the top earning spot for the first time. He has been circling close to this position for the past few years, but this is the first time his earnings have surpassed that of everyone else in the business.

Johnson’s $64.5 million earned has more than doubled his 2015 earnings, making him this year’s biggest dollar gainer. The semi-retired professional wrestler’s millions (AND MILLIONS) came from movies including Central Intelligence and Fast 8, as well as the upcoming film Baywatch where he’s set to play Mitch Buchannon. Having recently become an essential part of the Fast and Furious franchise alongside the phenomenal box office performance of his recent films (including 2015’s hit San Andreas) have seen his earnings jump dramatically. This also takes into account his earnings from TV as well as other promotional endorsements he’s been involved with.

In response to this news, Johnson hit Twitter offering Waffle House to all his fans:

rocktweet
 

This is a tremendous contrast to the days of him growing up in Hawaii. Johnson talked to the Hollywood Reporter earlier this month where he mentioned he and his mother were once evicted from his childhood home. This was not long after his mother’s car had been repossessed. "We come home, and there’s a padlock on the door and an eviction notice. My mom starts bawling. She just started crying and breaking down. ‘Where are we going to live? What are we going to do?’" Johnson was quoted as saying to the Hollywood Reporter.

Those days are long behind him now and it comes to show that hard work, dedication and putting boots to asses sure pays off. We could not be more proud of The Rock‘s success outside of the ring.

therock
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has much to smile about these days [Photo courtesy of WWE]

Love Pro Wrestling Stories? Add us as a Preferred Source on Google so our stories always show up first for you. It only takes one click.

Add Us on Google
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and Flipboard!
https://bit.ly/jpzarkamusic

JP Zarka is the founder of Pro Wrestling Stories, established in 2015, where he serves as a senior author and editor-in-chief. From 2018 to 2019, he hosted and produced The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, brother of WWE legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Beyond wrestling media, JP’s diverse background spans education as a school teacher and assistant principal, as well as being a published author and musician. He has appeared on the television series Autopsy: The Last Hours Of and contributed research for programming on ITV and the BBC. JP is a proud father of two daughters and a devoted dog dad, balancing his passion for history and storytelling with family life in Chicago.


Pro Wrestling Stories is commited to accurate, unbiased wrestling content fact-checked by our editorial team. Inaccuracies are corrected promptly, with updates timestamped in the byline. Have a correction, tip, or story idea? Contact us. Read our editorial standards, meet our authors, or join the team. This site participates in affiliate programs, meaning we may earn commissions at no extra cost to you.