Dwayne Johnson Pays Tribute To Veteran Wrestling Photographer

Written by Lyle Kilbane • Published 15th October 2022
Dwayne Johnson

WWE icon and Hollywood megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has shared a video of him sharing a shot and paying tribute to one of wrestling’s great, veteran photographers.

Dwayne Johnson was at the premiere of his latest blockbuster movie Black Adam in New York City when he took some time to share a shot and give thanks to long-time wrestling photographer George Napolitano. Johnson can be heard thanking Napolitano for being supportive of him and his family stretching back to his grandfather “High Chief” Peter Maivia.

“Very Special Man” – Dwayne Johnson

Johnson followed up by taking to social media to explain to the millions and millions of his followers exactly what George Napolitano means to him:

“Very special man I was honored to raise a toast to. Photographer George Napolitano really took care of my grandfather and my family back in the 70s, 80s taking amazing pictures of them wrestling back in Madison Square Garden. Images that still hang in our family home today”

Dwayne Johnson has come a long way from the seven bucks in his pocket that he named his booming production company after, amassing a reported net worth of $800 million through his work in the wrestling industry, as a highly sought-after actor, and as a producer and entrepreneur.

First known to WWE fans as Rocky Maivia, he made his televised debut for the company at Survivor Series 1996 in Madison Square Garden – the same arena where Napolitano took photos of his family decades before. It wasn’t until he morphed into The Rock that he really found success, capturing the WWE Championship at the 1998 version of Survivor Series when he shockingly joined up with Vince McMahon.

Feuds with Mick Foley and Triple H garnered attention but perhaps The Rock faced no greater rival in his time in WWE than Stone Cold Steve Austin – a man that Johnson faced in a trilogy of matches at WrestleMania.

Hollywood came calling in the early 2000s and Dwayne Johnson cut his teeth as an actor in The Mummy franchise. His time in the ring became more fleeting as his star as an actor continued to grow.

After many years away from WWE, Dwayne Johnson returned in 2011 when he was announced as the special guest host of WrestleMania 27. This led to two more WrestleMania appearances where he traded wins with John Cena.

If the rumours turn out to be true then Dwayne Johnson could be set to electrify the masses once again at WrestleMania 39 against a man he is very familiar with.