The Rock

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

fan (2)	stunning	incredible
deny	wrestling	big screen
screen	journey	record (2)
career	spotlight	transformation
against	grow up	studio apartment
evict	defense	eviction notice
realize	go on (2)	break my heart
admire	mean (2)	scholarship
injury	recognize	dig deep (2)
goal (2)	graduate	concentration
pull	stampede	criminology
stun	buzz (2)	cut/cut/cut (2)
league	suck (2)	launch (2)
wallet	buck (2)	background
esquire	election	physiology
appear	broke (2)	beat/beat/beaten (2)
afford	peak (2)	make sure
fame	stress (2)	respectful
settle	surprise	win/won/won
emerge	relocate	look back (2)
WWF	draft (2)	anchor (2)
sequel	prequel	receive (2)
tackle	audience	bankability
furious	franchise	reboot (2)
selfie	take place	handful (2)
fitness	premiere	get to his head
shy	mummy	regimented
fail	sideline	regardless
effort	carry (2)	incredible
role	consider	make a big
bulk up	schedule	garbage (2)
chief	set a goal	weeks on end
sign (3)	heart (2)	open door (2)
title (2)	combine	Commander-in-Chief
loud	maternal	address (2)
telecast	sense (2)	earnestness
discuss	press (3)	possibility
run (3)

 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Whether you’re a fan of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from his football career, wrestling days, or on the big screen, you can’t deny that this man has had an incredible journey.

And it’s only the beginning . . .

Surprisingly, much of Johnson’s life actually takes place out of the spotlight, which is why we needed to dig deep to learn about his stunning transformation.

Keep it Moving

Growing up, Johnson and his parents moved around constantly. While he was born in California, the family relocated to New Zealand, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida.

He remembers being fifteen and coming home to an eviction notice when his mother couldn’t cover the rent for their studio apartment in Honolulu.

Of the experience, he told Fortune Magazine, “It broke my heart. I remember saying to myself, ‘I will do anything and everything I possibly can to make sure we never get evicted again.’

But what does that mean? What does it mean to be successful?

Well, the successful men I admired all built their bodies.”

Bachelor’s Degree

Johnson received a full scholarship from the University of Miami, where he played as a defensive tackle, until an injury sidelined his career.

He graduated in 1995, with a Bachelor of General Studies, with concentrations in criminology and physiology.

After graduation, he moved to Canada, where he played for the Calgary Stampeders for two months before being cut.

Later, during a WWE Raw telecast, Johnson stunned Canadian fans by saying, “In 1995, The Rock was cut from the Canadian Football League. Do you have any idea how much you’ve gotta suck to get cut from the Canadian Football League?”

Seven Bucks

Johnson would later launch his own production company called Seven Bucks Productions, and the story behind the company’s name has a lot of meaning.

When the Calgary Stampeders cut him, Johnson flew back to Miami and realized that all he had was seven dollars to his name.

He told Esquire Magazine, “Pulled out my wallet, and yeah, I had a five, a one, and some change. Warren Sapp had just signed for millions of dollars in the draft. He was the one that actually beat me out of my position [at Miami] two-and-a-half-years earlier.”

Dwayne Johnson: “I was so broke that I couldn’t even afford a cab to the airport.”

He went on to explain that he’s happy for Sapp, with whom he has remained friends, but that he will never forget why “Seven Bucks” has a lot of meaning.
Dwayne Johnson: “That’s why everything in my life is called “Seven Bucks”.

The Rock

With his career in football over, Johnson turned to wrestling next.

His father, “Soulman” Rocky Johnson was at the peak of his fame in the seventies (70s) and eighties (80s), and his maternal grandfather was High Chief Peter Maivia, who won titles in the South Pacific before settling in the United States.

At first, Johnson’s father was against him starting a career in wrestling. Johnson told Fortune, “Looking back, I understand that he was thinking, ‘Man, I wrestled for forty (40) years, and this is what I have to show for it: a tiny apartment in Tampa.

I don’t want this for you’.”

First emerging as Rocky Maivia, Johnson made it to the WWF in 1996 where he transformed into the superstar, “The Rock”.

A Star if Born

Briefly appearing opposite Brendan Fraser in 2001’s The Mummy Returns, Johnson was so well-received by audiences that the studio made him the star of the prequel, The Scorpion King, the following year.

Dwayne Johnson: “Let’s take a moment to appreciate the perfectly plucked eyebrows for just a second.”

Recognizing his bankability, Universal Pictures paid him $5.5 million for the role.

In the years since that movie came and went, Johnson’s become a true movie star, starring in films such as the The Other Guys,The Fast and Furious franchises, and 2018Jumanji reboot, just to name only a handful.

But he hasn’t let his success get to his head: Johnson set a Guinness World Record for the number of selfies he took with fans at the premiere of his film, San Andreas.

Fitness

It takes quite a commitment to fitness and diet to get a body like Johnson’s, and he hasn’t been shy about his efforts in either area.

He explained to Fortune, “Training is my anchor: being on a regimented schedule, setting a goal, failing at a goal; it’s the philosophies of being an athlete that carry me today.”

For his diet, he combines protein shakes with five or six carefully crafted meal a day.

While discussing his preparation for a role as a bodybuilder opposite Mark Wahlberg in Pain and Gain, Johnson explained: “There’s a right way and a wrong way to bulk up for a film — the wrong way is to eat as much garbage as you can for weeks on end . . . it’s unhealthy, and puts an incredible amount of stress on your body.”

Future President?

Regardless of what anyone thinks of President Donald Trump, his election opened doors to those with an entertainment background who’ve had little to no experience in politics.

It’s no surprise that some have suggested Johnson make a bid for the role of Commander-in-Chief.

The buzz became so loud that, eventually, the actor had to address it in an interview with GQ Magazine saying, “A year ago, it started coming up more and more. There was a real sense of earnestness, which made me go home and think, ‘Let me really rethink my answer and make sure I’m giving an answer that is truthful and also respectful.”

Pressed further about whether this really might happen, the Rock added, “I think that it’s a real possibility.”

TV Show Host: “Would you, seriously, would you run?”
Dwayne Johnson: “I would, I’m seriously considering it, yes.”

 

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Questions

1. Dwayne Johnson attended drama school, and after graduating became an actor. True or false?

2. Was he born in Hawaii, and spent his entire childhood there?

3. Johnson came from an upper-middle class family. Is this right or wrong? What was a profound moment in his youth?

4. While in university, did he only attend lectures, study, and do his assignments?

5. Was Johnson planning to become a professional football player? Did he quit football because it was boring and he wanted to do something different?

6. “Everything in my life is called ‘Seven Bucks’.” What does this mean? Why is everything in his life called “Seven Bucks”?

7. After Johnson failed to enter professional football, he went to Hollywood. Is this correct or incorrect? Why did he go into wrestling?

8. How did he become a Hollywood star?

9. Are The Rock’s big muscles completely, 100% natural? Does he (only) eat chips, biscuits, cookies, pastries, cake, pizza, hamburger, hotdogs?

10. Now is The Rock thinking about retiring, resting and relaxing?

 

A. Are football and wrestling popular sports in your country?

B. The Rock is a great actor and he makes great movies. What do you think? What are some hit movies starring or featuring The Rock?

C. The Rock shouldn’t run for president of the United States because he wasn’t a lawyer and he has no experience in public office. Do you agree?

D. What might happen in the future? If The Rock were elected president, what kind of president would he be?

E. Does Johnson’s life serve as a lesson for others? Can he serve as a role-model for people?