‘Young Rock‘ chronicles Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s formative years as a wrestler, actor, and businessman, as well as the numerous formative experiences he had on his road to becoming the mega-celebrity he is today. The show gives much of the storey a comedic twist, but never loses sight of what matters most to the titular celebrity — his family.
On the show, Dwayne hopes to purchase his parents a house throughout his time at university and as an NFL prospect. Despite the difficulties, his parents offer a nurturing environment for their son, giving the NBC series a lot of heart.
Dwayne Johnson’s mother is one of the show’s most important characters, so we wanted to find out where the real-life inspiration for the character is now.
Who is Dwayne Johnson’s (The Rock) Mom?
Ata Johnson, Dwayne Johnson’s mother, was born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia in Hawaii on October 25, 1948. Her mother, Ofelia “Lia” Fuataga, later married Peter Fanene Maivia, AKA “High Chief,” a Samoan-American professional wrestler. Ata is from the Anoai wrestling family and comes from a wrestling family with a long history.
Her adopted father, Peter, was a wrestler and promoter in Hawaii for the ‘National Wrestling Alliance,’ and her mother was one of the first female wrestler promoters. Lia took over the Polynesian Pro Wrestling (PPW) promotion after Peter died in 1982.
Rocky Johnson, Ata’s future husband, was reportedly partnered with her brother, Peter Maivia Jr., at a wrestling bout where they met. Dwayne, their only son, was born on May 2, 1972, after the couple married in 1970.
Ata and Rocky divorced in 2003, after several years of marriage. Dwayne’s affections for his mother, on the other hand, stayed unchanged, and the two have remained close over the years.
In the 1990s, Ata began to appear on television, reportedly making her debut in 1996 on an episode of ‘WWE Raw.’ She appeared in a number of additional WWE special shows throughout the years, including ‘WrestleMania XXX’ and ‘WWE SmackDown Live.’
Ata has also been on the ‘Late Show with David Letterman,’ as well as the ‘Biography’ documentary series. She lent her voice to the documentary film ‘The Last Matai’ in 2016.
What happened to Dwayne Johnson’s Mother And Where Is She Now?
Ata Johnson did not remarry after her divorce in 2003, instead choosing to spend her time with her son and grandchildren. Rocky “Soulman” Johnson died in 2020, according to news reports.
The real-life equivalent of the eponymous character of ‘Young Rock’ looks to have finally accomplished the character’s desire by purchasing a home for his mother. Dwayne Johnson announced on social media in 2018 that he had purchased a new home for his mother.
The actor and former professional wrestler also stated that he bought his mum a Cadillac on another occasion (which, if the show is to be believed, is a car Ata loved in her younger days). Ata even makes an appearance in season 2 of ‘Young Rock’ as herself.
Ata now spends much of her time with her grandchildren Simone Alexandra, Tiana Gia, and Jasmine Johnson, as well as listening to Samoa Radio. In October 2020, she celebrated her 72nd birthday with her son and granddaughters (Jasmine and Tiana).
Though it hasn’t been confirmed, Ata most likely shares her time between Miami and Los Angeles, where Dwayne Johnson lives with his wife and daughters.