Dwayne Johnson says he is “very proud” that his 18-year-old daughter is following in his footsteps by entering the world of professional wrestling.
The Hollywood action man began his career in the ring under the moniker “The Rock” and became one of World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) biggest stars.
Simone Alexandra Johnson, Johnson’s daughter with his ex-wife, Dany Garcia, officially signed her contract with WWE in February after previously being involved in training.
Johnson quit wrestling to pursue acting in 2004 but made a comeback in 2011 before retiring from the arena in 2013.
Discussing the teen’s new career path during a virtual appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Friday, Johnson beamed with pride.
“You know it blows my mind,” the 48-year-old actor said. “First of all, what an honor that my daughter wants to follow in my footsteps but more importantly—follow in my footsteps sounds cliché—but she actually wants to create and blaze her own path, which is just so important.”
According to Johnson, Simone is the youngest person to be signed by WWE in the organization’s history, and was working hard “quietly under the radar” since the age of 16, despite facing challenges.
“She hung in there and I’m very, very proud of her,” the “Jumanji” star said.
Simone has a powerful wrestling heritage. Her father was a 10-time WWE world champion, while her late grandfather, Rocky Johnson, and great-grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, are WWE Hall of Famers.
“It means the world to me,” she said in a statement back in February. “To know that my family has such a personal connection to wrestling is really special to me and I feel grateful to have the opportunity, not only to wrestle but to carry on that legacy.”
The CNN Wire contributed to this report
