25 Years Ago, This WWE Legend Landed His First Movie Role

There’s no doubt that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars. Although he initially rose to fame as a WWE Superstar, he had to build his acting career from the ground up. In 2001, Johnson landed his first major movie role in The Mummy Returns, which has since become a fan-favorite for both film and wrestling enthusiasts.

Johnson’s first big-screen role as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns was a pivotal moment for the professional wrestler. At just 29 years old and at the height of his WWE career, he leaped into acting. Following his main event match against Stone Cold Steve Austin during WrestleMania X-Seven (17) for the WWF Championship, Johnson took a hiatus from wrestling to pursue acting. Although he lost to Stone Cold for the title, he quickly captured the attention of mainstream Hollywood.

Starring in The Mummy Returns marked a turning point in Johnson’s career. From that role onward, the 6-foot-five athlete steadily established himself as an A-list actor. In 2002, he reprised his role as the Scorpion King in a spin-off prequel of the same name. Leading roles in movies such as Walking Tall, Tooth Fairy, Empire State, Moana, Baywatch, San Andreas, and many more followed, expanding The Rock’s impressive resume. He also joined the Fast & Furiousfranchise as Hobbs and became a major Hollywood producer, launching his entertainment company, Seven Bucks Productions.

In 2026, Johnson reunited with his Mummy Returns co-star Brendan Fraser for Variety‘s Actors on Actors series. During their conversation, Johnson credited Fraser with helping him establish his onscreen career beyond the bright lights of WWE. “That was one of the biggest franchises in the world at that time. Beloved around the world. You were the face of that franchise. I was ready to make my transition into Hollywood, and I was excited. I had this opportunity to be cast in your movie as the Scorpion King,” he recalled.

Johnson fondly added, “I remember meeting with Stephen Sommers, our director, and all the folks at Universal. I was so excited. They told me, ‘We’re just going to talk to Brendan.’ There was a moment where you could have said, ‘Hey, listen, I love this idea of a character called the Scorpion King, but this guy, Dwayne Johnson, he’s never acted before. I know he’s from pro wrestling; I’m not too sure.’ The word that I got back was, ‘Brendan loves the idea. He welcomes you with open arms.’ And it really meant something to me, because not only was it your franchise, and you took a shot and a risk with me, who had never acted back then, but that also kicked off my career.”

Today, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is celebrated as a highly decorated wrestler, Golden Globe–nominated performer, and Hollywood executive powerhouse.