The WWE superstar turned box office heavyweight (and Sexiest Man Alive!) has come a long way since stealing Snickers from the 7-Eleven
Since cementing his status two decades ago as a world-class entertainer in the WWE, the man forever known as The Rock has been on a serious roll. One of Hollywood’s most bankable actors, with global box office eclipsing $5 billion, Dwayne Johnson, 51, now extends that Midas touch to his own production company (Seven Bucks), small-batch tequila (Teremana) and skincare line (Papatui). “Gratitude,” says the father of three of what he’s learned from success. “And the knowledge that, man, you ain’t doing it alone.”
You were named PEOPLE’s 2016 Sexiest Man Alive.
At the end of the day, you’ve got to give the people what they want! Guys usually try to downplay it, but don’t give me that s—. It’s cool! It’s awesome! And I’ve been saying it since birth: I am, in fact, the sexiest man alive. And very humble, so it goes hand-in-hand.
What do you remember most about that shoot?
The best part of that shoot was going back home to Hawaii. It was a full circle moment: the mana, the aloha spirit. Looking at our all-local crew, Polynesian boys and girls working hard. In the ’80s, my family was kicked off the island, evicted, because we couldn’t pay the rent. So to go back and shoot Sexiest Man Alive? Clooney, Swayze and now this big, bald, brown, tattooed guy? Thank you.
It’s an elite fraternity. Have you compared notes with any other SMA honorees?
I pretty much know them all. Most recently, Chris Evans and I did a movie together [Red One, premiering in November]. At the end of the day, my conversations with fellow SMAs are always the same. I say, “Hey man, congratulations. Welcome to the club.” They say, “Oh thanks, Rock, I appreciate it,” and I say, “Listen, just so you know, here’s the thing with Sexiest Man Alive, I’m actually the only one who has it in perpetuity. So you guys have it for a year — but I have it for life.”
Who’s been your biggest champion in life?
My mom has always been there, always my biggest fan. Even when I was a punk kid in high school, getting in trouble, getting arrested, she’d say, “I feel like the world will hear from you one day.” This is as she’s picking me up from the police station! The love was boundless. The support was boundless.
What advice would you give that “punk kid”?
I wouldn’t tell myself “Everything’s going to be okay.” What I would say is: Keep doing what you’re doing. Let your gut guide you. If it feels strange, there’s a reason your gut is speaking to you. Make sure you listen to that voice, and that’s going to serve you for the rest of your life. I would also say to that kid from years ago: “Listen, you’re stealing Snickers every single day before the gym. One day you’re not going to be an asshole. Go back to the 7-Eleven in Hawaii and buy all the Snickers, pay for them, and leave them there for other people.” [laughs]
Do you have a specific “I made it” memory?
When I was wrestling, I didn’t start in the big bright lights of WWE. I wrestled down in Tennessee, a company called the USWA. I made my bones down there, wrestling for forty bucks a match, in barns, flea markets, etc., and I got my big call-up, and my first match as a WWE superstar was in Madison Square Garden. I was a rookie. They pulled me aside about an hour before I was going out, and said, “Hey kid, you’re going to win tonight. Sink or swim, it’s the Garden, it’s New York, and if you could pull this off, we feel like you have a shot, and we have a shot.” So that night I went out, and by the end of the match, there were 22,000 people all chanting my name. I just knew that my mom and dad, who are watching at home in Tampa, were bawling. It was just a really special moment.
How has being a father changed you?
I’m a proud Girl Dad. I have little ones at home [Jasmine, 8, and Tiana, 5, with wife Lauren Hashian], and an older one, too [Simone, 22, with his ex and current business partner Dany Garcia]. At this point, the most important thing I can do is lead by example. Try to influence as best I can. And try to be open and real with the conversations I have with people.
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You’ve accomplished so much. What’s left to do?
There’s always something — something bigger. I like to try to remain focused on the North Star, the main thing. But this interesting thing happens: When we get close to the North Star, and when it seems like we’re reaching it, then in my head the distance changes. It’s no longer here in front of us; it’s way over there. So it’s just this constant push. I don’t know if it’s a good thing — maybe it requires therapy — but I can say there’s always more to do.
