Dwayne Johnson once portrayed his father, Rocky Johnson, in an episode of That '70s Show. Johnson followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a professional wrestler under the in-ring name, "The Rock." After wrestling for the WWF (now WWE) for years, Johnson transitioned to a full-time actor. Here's how he paid tribute to his family in That '70s Show and what it did for his acting career.
Besides Johnson and his father, wrestling also took over the life of his grandfather, Peter Maivia. Rocky embarked on a professional wrestling career in the mid-'60s before joining the WWF in 1982. The following year, Rocky, along with his partner Tony Atlas, became the first black champions in the federation's history. Rocky retired in 1991 and trained Dwayne as he grew to popularity with the trash-talking persona as The Rock. In 2019, Rocky was inducted to the International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame before he passed away unexpectedly in January 2020.
Johnson portrayed his father Rocky in season 1 of That '70s Show with the episode titled "That Wrestling Show." The episode debuted in 1999, in the midst of The Rock's career, but the timeline of the show was set in 1977 at the time. Red Forman accompanied his son Eric and his friends to a local wrestling match. Rocky Johnson was headlining the event and his skill instantly won over Red, a man who never viewed wrestling as a sport. In addition to The Rock's portrayal as Rocky, the episode featured appearances by fellow wrestling pros such as Ken Shamrock, Ernie Ladd, and The Hardy Boyz. Johnson had the chance to play his father in the ring, as well as have fun with a scene that poked fun at himself.
The Rock's That '70s Show Cameo Was One Of His First Acting Gigs
Johnson's cameo in That '70s Show marked his first acting gig in a scripted program or film. Following his wrestling scene, Red and Eric snuck into the locker room to meet Rocky and get his autograph. Johnson, in character as Rocky, referenced himself by mentioning a son that he predicted would be "the most electrifying man in sports entertainment." That amusing line seemed like a funny quip at the time, but it actually came true. Johnson has turned into a bonafide movie star and he remains one of the highest-grossing actors at the box office.
Johnson received his first major acting gig in 2001's The Mummy Returns before starring in the spinoff, The Scorpion King the following year. After switching to acting full-time, Johnson starred in films such as Walking Tall, The Game Plan, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Hercules, San Andreas, and Rampage. In addition, he stars as Luke Hobbs in the Fast and Furious franchise and headlined the spinoff, Hobbs & Shaw, alongside Jason Statham. His ongoing success includes his role in the HBO series, Ballers, and a primary role in the revived Jumanji franchise. Johnson reprised his role as The Rock from time to time before announcing his official retirement in 2019. Now that his father is gone, Johnson's cameo on That '70s Show will certainly hold an extra level of significance for the wrestler-turned-actor.