Dwayne Johnson is a massive human being. Usually, when people talk about him, they’re looking at his box office numbers or those insane "cheat meal" photos on Instagram where he eats enough sushi to feed a small village. But honestly, the most interesting thing about the guy isn't his 20-inch biceps—it's the Dwayne Johnson family tree.
If you follow WWE at all, you’ve heard about "The Bloodline." You’ve seen Roman Reigns and the Usos talk about family legacy like it’s a sacred oath. Most fans just assume everyone with Samoan heritage in the ring is a biological sibling or first cousin.
It's actually way more complicated than that.
The "Rock" doesn't just have a family tree; he has a sprawling, multi-generational wrestling empire that connects him to almost every major Samoan star in history. But there’s a twist. A lot of those "blood" connections people tweet about? They aren't actually biological.
The Anoa'i Connection: Blood Brothers vs. Blood Relatives
Let’s get the big one out of the way first. You’ll always hear that Dwayne Johnson and Roman Reigns are cousins. In the world of Samoan culture and wrestling tradition, they absolutely are. If you said otherwise to their faces, they’d probably give you a very stern look.
But if we’re talking DNA and ancestry kits, they aren’t "blood" cousins in the way most Westerners define it.
The link started with two men: Reverend Amituana’i Anoa’i and "High Chief" Peter Maivia (Dwayne’s grandfather). They weren't brothers by birth. They were "blood brothers," a sacred bond in Samoan culture that essentially fuses two families into one. This pact meant that from that moment on, their children and grandchildren were family. Period.
The Maivia Side (The Maternal Line)
Dwayne’s mother, Ata Johnson, is the daughter of Peter Maivia and his wife, Lia Maivia.
- Peter Maivia: A legendary High Chief who wrestled with traditional Samoan tattoos covering his legs and torso. He even appeared in a James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice.
- Lia Maivia: One of the first female wrestling promoters. She was a powerhouse who ran Polynesian Pro Wrestling after Peter passed away.
- The Adoption Factor: Here’s another bit of trivia most people miss—Peter Maivia actually adopted Ata. She wasn't his biological daughter, but in the eyes of the family and the wrestling world, that distinction doesn't matter even a little bit.
The "Soulman" Legacy: Rocky Johnson
Then you’ve got the paternal side. Dwayne’s dad was Rocky Johnson, a trailblazer who, along with Tony Atlas, became the first Black tag team champion in WWE history.
Rocky wasn’t Samoan; he was Black Nova Scotian. This is why Dwayne often refers to himself as "Blackmamoan." It’s a mix of two incredibly strong heritages. Rocky was a tough-as-nails trainer who didn't go easy on his son. Dwayne has talked openly about how his dad used "tough love" to prepare him for the world.
Recently, some interesting (and messy) details came out about Rocky’s past. A 2022 DNA project revealed that Dwayne has several half-siblings he didn't grow up with. We’re talking five other children scattered across Canada that Rocky fathered during his years on the road. Dwayne was raised as an only child, so finding out you have a whole "secret" wing of the family tree later in life is a lot to process.
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Who Are The Real Cousins?
If you try to map out the Dwayne Johnson family tree without a PhD in genealogy, your head will spin. But let’s look at the names you actually know.
The Anoa’i Heavy Hitters
Because of that "blood brother" pact, the following stars are considered Dwayne’s cousins:
- Roman Reigns (Leati Joseph Anoa'i): The "Tribal Chief" himself.
- The Usos (Jimmy and Jey): Sons of Rikishi.
- Solo Sikoa: The younger brother of the Usos.
- Yokozuna: The massive former WWE Champion.
- Rikishi: The man famous for the "Stinkface."
- Umaga: The late "Samoan Bulldozer."
The New Blood: Ava Raine
The legacy isn't stopping with The Rock. His eldest daughter, Simone Johnson, has already entered the fray. She performs under the name Ava (formerly Ava Raine) in NXT. She is officially the first-ever fourth-generation wrestler in the family. That’s a lot of pressure. Imagine your great-grandpa, your grandpa, and your dad all being Hall of Famers.
The Current Inner Circle
Outside of the ring, Dwayne’s immediate family tree is much smaller and quieter. He’s a "girl dad" through and through.
- Dany Garcia: His first wife and current business partner. They’ve stayed incredibly close despite the divorce, which is honestly rare in Hollywood. She’s the mother of Simone.
- Lauren Hashian: His current wife. They got married in a gorgeous Hawaii ceremony in 2019 after being together for over a decade.
- Jasmine and Tiana: His two younger daughters with Lauren. You’ve probably seen them on his social media refusing to believe he’s actually the voice of Maui from Moana.
Why This Matters for Fans
Understanding the Dwayne Johnson family tree helps explain why he’s so obsessed with the concept of "The Bloodline" in his current WWE run. It’s not just a script. For these guys, the line between "work" and "family" doesn't exist.
When The Rock stands in a ring with Roman Reigns, they are carrying the weight of a pact made by two men in the mid-20th century. It’s about respect, tradition, and a very specific Samoan concept called Fa'a Samoa (The Samoan Way).
If you want to keep track of this yourself, don't look for a standard chart. Look for the stories. The family tree is kept alive through the matches they wrestle and the way they protect each other's legacies.
Actionable Takeaways for the Curious:
- Check out "Young Rock": If you want to see these people portrayed (somewhat) accurately in a sitcom format, the show actually does a decent job showing the struggles of Peter Maivia and Rocky Johnson.
- Research the Anoa'i Dynasty: If you're a wrestling nerd, look up the "Wild Samoans" (Afa and Sika). They are the biological pillars of the other side of this tree.
- Watch the Hall of Fame Speeches: Specifically, Dwayne’s induction of his father and grandfather in 2008. It’s the most raw you’ll ever see him regarding his roots.
Dwayne Johnson might be the most famous person on the planet right now, but he’s still just a branch on a much older, much tougher tree. Knowing where he came from makes the "Rock" persona feel a lot more human.
To see the legacy in action, you can follow Simone Johnson’s career progress on the WWE NXT roster, where she continues to build on the foundation laid by the High Chief and the Soulman.