Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of the top stars in the world thanks to his big-budget action films, including Jumanji, The Rundown and The Fast and Furious franchise. However, Johnson is also known for his sports films due to his football and pro wrestling background. We could likely see Johnson in a few more sports films and TV shows when his career is all said and done.
Before Johnson was a big movie star, he was one of the top Superstars in WWE. In his pro wrestling career, Johnson won the WWE Championship eight times, the WCW Championship twice, the Intercontinental Championship twice, the WWF Tag Team Championship five times and won the Royal Rumble match in 2000. Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked Johnson the second-best wrestler in the world back in 2000.
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Before wrestling, Johnson played football at the University of Miami. He played on the defensive line and was a member of the 1991 national champions team. He did not have the best football career due to injuries and playing behind Warren Sapp, who went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here’s a look at eight Dwayne Johnson movies and shows for sports fans.
‘Gridiron Gang’
Gridiron Gang is based on a true story, which details the Kilpatrick Mustangs, a football team made up of boys from the Kilpatrick Detention Center in Los Angeles. Johnson plays the character of Sean Porter who starts a football team to help kids deal with the problems they are dealing with in life. Gridiron Gang also stars Xzibit and Kevin Dunn.
‘Game Plan’
Game Plan, released one year after Gridiron Gang is about a pro quarterback named Joe Kingman who finds out he has an 8-year old daughter from a previous relationship. The film was a big box-office hit, making $146 million worldwide. Johnson plays Kingman, and it also stars Morris Chesnut and Kyra Sedgwick.
‘Beyond the Mat’
Beyond the Mat is a documentary film that looks at pro wrestlers outside the ring. Along with Johnson, the film stars Mick Foley, Terry Funk and Jake Roberts. Critics loved Beyond the Mat, earning an 82 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Beyond the Mat is Johnson’s very first film appearance.
‘Ballers’
Ballers is an HBO series and it stars Johnson who plays the role of Spencer Strasmore, a retired NFL player turned financial manager. It also stars Rob Corddy, John David Washington and there were recurring appearances made by Russell Brand, Jay Glazer and NFL linebacker Terrell Suggs. The fifth and final season of Ballers aired last year.
‘The Titan Games’
Currently, Johnson can be seen on NBC’s The Titan Games, a sports reality series that has a male and female winner at the end of the season. Competitors go through a number of mental and physical challenges for the title of Titan. Johnson is the creator and executive producer of The Titan Games along with being the host.
‘Tooth Fairy’
Tooth Fairy is a fantasy comedy film where Johnson stars at Derek Thompson, a minor league hockey player whose nickname is “Tooth Fairy” because he tends to knock out opposing player’s teeth. After stealing a dollar from his girlfriend’s 6-year-old daughter, Thompson becomes an actual tooth fairy. The film also stars Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews and Billy Crystal.
‘Fighting with My Family’
Johnson stars as himself in Fighting with My Family, which is based on a true story. The film focuses on pro wrestler Saraya Knight, who is also known as Paige. She comes from a wrestling family and she makes her way to WWE. Paige becomes the first NXT Women’s Champion and she wins the Divas Championship on her first appearance on Raw. Paige is played by Florence Pugh.
‘That 70’s Show’ – That Wrestling Show episode
Johnson made an appearance on That 70’s Show in 1999. Johnson plays the role of his father Rocky Johnson and wrestles in a match that Eric and Red attend. The episode also features pro wrestlers Ken Shamrock, Matt Hardy and his brother Jeff Hardy.
