Tanoai Reed (born February 10, 1974) is an American stuntman and actor. He is best known as the stunt double for his cousin Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Early life

Tanoai Reed was born in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, on February 10, 1974. He is primarily of Samoan descent with smaller amounts of Irish, Norwegian, and Swedish ancestry. After the separation of his parents, he grew up in California before being sent back to Hawaiʻi to live with his grandmother. He was educated at Kahuku High School and the University of Hawaiʻi. He continues to make his home on Oahu's North Shore and, with his wife, is a proud advocate for local businesses and conservation.

Career

Reed's stunt career began when he worked on Waterworld (1995), and he began steady work as a stunt double for his cousin Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on The Scorpion King (2002). His other work includes acting in the music video for the Black Eyed Peas song "Pump It" (2005), playing one of the villains fought by Fergie. He also appears in the 2008 relaunch of American Gladiators as the gladiator Toa. His first episode of Gladiators saw him performing a shortened version of "Ka Mate", a New Zealand Māori haka, before beginning his defense of the top of the pyramid.

Filmography