Ten Things You Never Knew About The Rock

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has certainly come a long way since his days as "Flex Kavana" on the minor wrestling circuit. Not content with being one of the biggest WWE icons of all time, he turned his attentions to Hollywood with debut film The Scorpion King. Surprisingly, he succeeded where so many other sportsmen have failed, and eight years later he's still going strong as one of the most in-demand action stars in the business. To celebrate the release of Race To Witch Mountain, we've uncovered ten tantalising facts about "The People's Champion".

1. Dwayne Douglas Johnson was born in Hayward, California, on May 2, 1972, to pro-wrestler "Soulman" Rocky Johnson and Ata Maivia, the daughter of a Samoan High Chief.

2. In 2004, the wrestler-turned-actor was himself crowed a High Chief of Samoa after being given the title Son of Malietoa by His Highness Malietoa Taumafili II. "I've never cried so much, it was a life-changing moment," he admits. "It's way deeper than an honorary title - it's blood."

3. Before making his debut as a wrestler, Johnson pursued a career in professional football after securing a full scholarship to the University Of Miami. He was a member of their national championship team before being sidelined with a back injury.

4. Following Samoan tradition, Johnson had his family history tattooed onto his left arm in 2003. He explains: "[It] tells a story about my successes and failure, my strength and warrior spirit, my love for my family, my loyalty to my family, my unwavering want to protect the ones I love."

5. Despite being everyone's favourite family action man, he was once arrested for theft and fighting as a teenager. "When I was 18 years old... my parents came and bailed me out," he recalls. "Even though we didn't have anything, they're proud people and it's not very dignified getting your kid out of jail. So that was the moment I focused on playing football and I got my aggression out on the field."

6. Winning his first WWF/E title within three months of making his debut for the corporation, he went on to scoop a host of future honours including seven WWF/E Championships, five Tag Team Championships, two Intercontinental Championships and two WCW Championships.

7. He may play on his tough-guy image, but Johnson admits that he would love to try his hand at a musical. "I've been know to have a good step or two," he claims. "I'm half-Samoan and part of our culture is singing and dancing daily."

8. Johnson was considered by director Tim Burton for the role of Willy Wonka in his adaptation of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory but lost out to Johnny Depp.

9. He once described his on-screen smooch with Steve Carrell in Get Smart as like mixing "warm apple pie with cold ice cream". He adds: "It was great. The length I go, the committed actor. Jake Gyllenhaal did it, Will Smith did it, I thought it was my turn to kiss a man."

10. Johnson is a firm believer in extraterrestrial life, saying: "I think that we would be, as a society, incredibly arrogant to think that we're the only life out there in our existence, in our galaxy. I haven't actually seen a UFO. I thought I did, but then I realised that it...was the alcohol that I had consumed!"