Dhruv Trivedi
‘Young Rock’ follows the younger days of the wrestler turned actor and businessman Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and the myriad formative experiences he went through in his journey to become the mega-celebrity he is today. The show puts a comedic spin on much of the narrative but never strays too far away from what is truly important to the titular celebrity — his family.
On the show, throughout his time in university and as an NFL-hopeful, Dwayne dreams of buying his parents a house. Despite the frequent hardships, his parents provide a supportive environment to their son, giving the NBC show a lot of heart indeed. Unsurprisingly, one of the most significant characters in the show is Dwayne Johnson’s mother, so we decided to check out where the real-life inspiration behind the character is now.
Who is Dwayne Johnson’s Mom?
Dwayne Johnson’s mother, Ata Johnson, was born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia on October 25, 1948, in Hawaii. Her mother, Ofelia “Lia” Fuataga, subsequently married Samoan-American professional wrestler Peter Fanene Maivia AKA “High Chief.” Ata comes from a significant wrestling background and hails from the Anoaʻi wrestling family. While her adoptive father, Peter, was a wrestler and promoter of the ‘National Wrestling Alliance’ in Hawaii, her mother was credited as one of the first female wrestling promoters. After Peter’s death in 1982, Lia took charge of the Polynesian Pro Wrestling (PPW) promotion.
Ata seemingly met her husband-to-be, Rocky Johnson, at a wrestling match where the latter was reportedly partnered with her brother, Peter Maivia Jr. The two married in 1970 and on May 2, 1972, had their only son, Dwayne. Many years later, in 2003, Ata and Rocky decided to get a divorce. However, this did not change Dwayne’s feelings towards his mother, and over the years, the two have remained close.
Ata also began appearing on television in the 1990s, seemingly making her debut in 1996 on an episode of ‘WWE Raw.’ Over the years, she appeared in a number of other WWE special shows like ‘WrestleMania XXX’ and ‘WWE SmackDown Live.’ Ata also made an appearance on ‘Late Show with David Letterman,’ as well as a documentary series called ‘Biography.’ In 2016, she provided her voice to a documentary film titled ‘The Last Matai.’
Where is Dwayne Johnson’s Mom Now?
After her divorce in 2003, Ata Johnson did not remarry but instead seemingly decided to spend her time with her son and grandchildren. In 2020, it was reported that Rocky “Soulman” Johnson had passed away.
It appears that the real-life counterpart of the titular character of ‘Young Rock’ finally fulfilled the character’s dream and bought his mother a house. In 2018, Dwayne Johnson shared on social media that he got his mother a new house. On a separate occasion, the actor and former professional wrestler also revealed that he got his mother a Cadillac (which, if the show is to be believed, is a car Ata loved in her younger days). Interestingly, Ata even appears as herself in ‘Young Rock’ season 2.
Nowadays, Ata mainly enjoys spending time with her grandchildren Simone Alexandra, Tiana Gia, and Jasmine Johnson and listening to Samoa Radio. She celebrated her 72nd birthday in October 2020 with her son and granddaughters (Jasmine and Tiana). Though unconfirmed, Ata likely splits her time between Miami and Los Angeles, the latter being where Dwayne Johnson predominantly resides with his wife and daughters.
Read More: Where is Young Rock Filmed?
