Things have only gotten better for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. His hard work and dedication to staying hungry within the competition has landed him a cool eight figures.
The wrestler went front dibbling and dabbling in the acting field to now being listed as 2016’s highest paid actor in the world. According to Forbes, the Hercules star earned $64.5 million within the past 12 months. This is his second time receiving these accolades from Forbes, as he was listed with the title in 2013 as well. Kevin Hart came in ahead of The Rock, landing at No. 6 on the Highest Celebrity Earning list, but he was listed as a comedian, which made actor come in first place.
“Aw sh*t!” was his first reaction to the news. “The wolf is always scratchin’ at the door.”
The wolf that’s been scratching at his door has now become his best friend. He’s been killing the box office all year, with back-to-back movies that have been a success. He’s starred in The Fast and Furious series, and recently released his lastest film, Central Intelligence, playing alongside Hart. He’s still working on building his acting portfolio, and already has three movies lined up that he’ll be starring in for 2017.
But this didn’t all happen over night. The Rock let it be known the struggle has been real, and he didn’t get here alone. The actor was evicted at the age of 14, and flat broke by 23. But that didn’t deter him from transforming his dreams into becoming his reality.
“Every day I wake up as if that eviction notice is right around the corner waiting for me.. which is why I always say, ‘the wolf is always scratchin’ at the door,'” he said. “He’s scratchin’ cause he’s hungry and never satisfied. We embrace and respect our past (even if it was f****d up), but we never let it define our future. Let’s stay hungry and chase that greatness.”
If you’re looking into following your dreams, and being successful in pursuing a career that you’re passionate about, The Rock has some invaluable advice for you.
“Greatness is never achieved alone. Surround yourself with hungry, brilliant individuals who not only buy into your philosophy, but who are all willing to work just as hard as you. Power of teamwork. And don’t ever forget where you came from.”