Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the latest celebrity to launch a skincare line—Johnson’s brand, Papatui, hit the market last weekend and is available at Target and on the brand’s website.1
It’s the latest business venture for Johnson, one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors. He has his own tequila brand, a clothing line, a production company and endorsement deals with major brands.
Johnson has an estimated net worth of $800 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.2 From his story of starting with just $7 in his pocket, here’s how The Rock built his million-dollar empire.3
Acting
Johnson makes millions from his career as an actor.
Johnson can earn more than $20 million per film, according to Forbes. He also gets an additional seven-figure fee to promote his films to his millions of social media followers, Forbes said.4
In 2022, Johnson brought in a total of $270 million, thanks in part to his salaries from films “Red Notice” and “Jungle Cruise.”5 Johnson reportedly was paid $22 million for “Jungle Cruise” according to TMZ.6 While Johnson’s “Red Notice” co-stars made about $20 million each, he made “millions more,” because of his role as one of the film’s main producers, according to Variety.7
Johnson is said to have earned an estimated $50 million for the upcoming Christmas film “Red One,” the biggest salary of his acting career so far, according to The Direct.8
The actor also makes money from deals with studios in which he gets a cut of the film’s box office revenue on top of his lofty salaries. Many of Johnson’s action-packed films like the “Fast and Furious” and “Jumanji” franchises have been global blockbuster hits, earning close to $1 billion at the box office.9
The star has also acted in HBO’s series “Ballers,” where he earned about $650,000 per episode according to Celebrity Net Worth. Johnson also starred as himself on the NBC series “Young Rock,” based on his childhood. He is also the host and creator of the competition show, “The Titan Games” on NBC.
Wrestling
Before he was an actor, Johnson was a champion wrestler in the late ’90s and early 2000s, where he got his nickname. He won eight WWE Championships as “The Rock.”10
In January, Johnson joined the board of TKO Group Holdings Inc. (TKO), the publicly traded company that owns UFC and WWE. He reportedly earned about $30 million for joining the board and agreeing to return to the ring in WrestleMania 40 in April, according to Wrestling Inc.11
Brands and Businesses
While Johnson’s expansive and lucrative acting career has made him millions, his other businesses have made his wealth skyrocket.
In 2020, Johnson launched his premium tequila brand, Teremana Tequila. Since then, the liquor brand has sold more than 1 million cases across North America annually as of 2023.12 Teremana is the fastest-growing tequila of all time, according to Forbes.13
Johnson also has a line of athletic apparel called Project Rock, with Under Armour Inc. (UAA). His line includes shoes, athletic wear, and even headphones. In 2022, Project Rock signed a multiyear deal with mixed-martial arts organization Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for its athletes to wear the brand’s shoes during promotional events leading up to matches, according to Bloomberg.14
Johnson has also had partnerships with Apple Inc. and Ford Motor Co.
In addition, the superstar has his own production company, Seven Bucks Productions. The company has produced several of Johnson’s films and TV shows such as “Jumanji,” “Jungle Cruise,” “Red One,” “Young Rock,” and more.15