Actor Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now, however, his path to success wasn’t an easy one. The actor first gained popularity as a professional wrestler and slowly transitioned towards acting.

The actor once opened up about the discrimination he faced because of his race and ethnicity while he was growing up, also revealing that he is Black/Samoan. Johnson’s father, Rocky Johnson, who was also a professional wrestler, was a Black Nova Scotian with a small amount of Irish ancestry while Johnson’s mother is Samoan.

Dwayne Johnson faced discrimination

Dwayne Johnson
During his appearance on The Pivot Podcast in May 2023, actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson opened up about the discrimination he has faced throughout his life because of his race and ethnicity. The actor said,
“Discrimination, yes, growing up. I lived in the south, at that time, I was a 70s baby, in those areas, in the world of wrestling, your wrestling in small towns, living in trailer parks. And kids are looking at me like, what are you? Are you Mexican, black, something? So yeah, that happened.”

Johnson’s father, Rocky Johnson was a Black Nova Scotian and his mother is a Samoan. His father was also a professional wrestler, but the actor still struggled a lot financially while growing up.

Many kids thought that Dwayne Johnson was a girl

Dwayne Johnson
The actor further revealed that other kids often mistook him for a girl when he was young, primarily because of his features and hair,

“I sit down next to a kid, and within 60 seconds, he goes, ‘Can I ask you something? I said, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ I would say between the ages of 7 and 11, people thought that I was a little girl because I had really soft features and I had really soft Afro hair.”
The Rock attended Freedom High School in Bethlehem Township in the Lehigh Valley and graduated in 1990. By his senior year at Freedom High School, the actor started playing American football professionally. He pursued the sport even when he was studying at the University of Miami.

Dwayne Johnson revealed that he is Black/Samoan

Dwayne Johnson
In May, the actor revealed that he is half black and half Samoan through his tweet. It’s not like The Rock doesn’t speak about this, he has been candid about his roots for a very long time now, but still, many fans are still unaware of this fact.

Johnson is proud of his roots and often thanks his genes for giving him the tall muscular frame that made him quite popular. Apart from that, the actor is known for his disciplined approach and work ethic.

Source: The Pivot Podcast