Dwayne Johnson: ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ Is Also The Highest-Paid Actor Of 2016

The “World’s Sexiest Man Alive” is also one of the world’s highest-paid actors. Dwayne Johnson admitted that transitioning from a WWE champ to a leading star wasn’t always easy.

The Fast and Furious actor was so excited over the news. On Tuesday, Nov. 15, Johnson took to Instagram to share a photo of his People cover, along with a special message.

“Remember, sexy isn’t something you ‘try and be’,” Johnson wrote in the caption.

“Sexy happens naturally when you’re comfortable just being yourself.”

The 44-year-old actor said that in order to be taken seriously as an actor, he had to shrug off his wrestling persona. Johnson told People that he was met with “skepticism and some criticism” in Hollywood, especially since there was no one else who looked like him.

“It was a little challenging because there wasn’t a blueprint for me to follow,” Johnson told the publication.

“Because it wasn’t like, ‘Oh there’s this half-Samoan, half-black wrestler and this is what he looks like and you just do it like him’ … I was kind of making my own way.”

Johnson is the second non-white male to receive the title since Denzel Washington in 1996, as reported via E! News. Johnson is ecstatic about the title and said that he’s finally reached a “pinnacle” in his career. However, he said he struggled many years to get to where he is today.

“When I was growing up here in Hawaii, I was like 13, 14 years old, I was doing a lot of things that I shouldn’t have,” he said to the publication.

“I was getting arrested multiple times but at the same time, always respectful to my teachers and elders. I was unsure of who I was and who I wanted to be.”

Johnson’s family struggled financially when he was growing up, so he played football to help them afford a better life.

“I played football for 10 years with one goal, which was to play in the NFL, which meant we’d never be evicted again. It meant that I could buy my parents their first home, their cars, whatever they wanted. That failure was tough; that was a tough pill.”

Today, Johnson is the highest paid actor, as reported via Forbes. He earns $64.5 million, making him this year’s top actor. He also earned $20 million more than his female counterpart, Jennifer Lawrence.

Forbes‘ annual highest-paid actor lists, which is divided between men and women, have highlighted the huge pay gap between the genders. Lawrence’s earnings are only 72 percent of Johnson’s, significantly lower than the pay gap between men and women in the U.S. who earn an average wage, as reported via The Guardian. But it’s somehow better than the pay disparity that both black and Hispanic women often face in this country.

The former wrestler’s income comes from his projects with Central Intelligence and Fast 8, as well as the upcoming Baywatch in which he’s set to play Mitch Buchannon. In addition, the Fast and Furious franchise, has helped padded Johnson’s wallet, along with his recent films like his 2015 hit San Andreas, which has skyrocketed his paycheck and fame.

“I can kick ass better than anyone on the planet,” Johnson told Forbes back in 2012. “And I have a decent smile,” he added.

He shot Jackie Chan ($61 million) to second place, who makes money with his movies in China, and Matt Damon ($55 million), who has been living off the success of his film The Martian.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the world’s sexiest man alive? Sound off below in the comments section.

[Featured Image by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney]