The Untold Truth Of Paulina Gretzky
Even if you don't know Paulina Gretzky, you probably have an idea of who she is (or could likely guess) merely based on her last name. Yes, that's right, she's the eldest child of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky. While that's certainly something for this daughter to be proud of, he's not her only famous parent. Paulina's mother happens to be actor Janet Jones, who is known for her roles in movies like "Annie," "The Beastmaster," "Staying Alive," "The Flamingo Kid," "Chorus Line," "Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach," and "A League of Their Own," just to name a few. Paulina is also one of five children, according to Chatelaine, and is the sister to Emma Gretzky as well as her brothers, Tristan Gretzky, Ty Gretzky, and minor league player Trevor Gretzky. (Yep, The Great One's son plays baseball, not hockey.)
Although growing up in such a famous family might have been a little daunting for some people, it hasn't stopped Paulina Gretzky from pursuing her own dreams in one way or another. Indeed, you might be familiar with some of her work — or buzz-worthy aspects of her personal life — but there's no doubt that there's more than just a few things about this (semi-)celebrity that you might not know, like the following untold and oh-so-intriguing facts.
She was born shortly after her parents got married
In July 1988, Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones had the world in awe when they tied the knot in a glamorous Canadian ceremony, popularly dubbed the country's "royal wedding," per AP News. Given the difference in nationalities (Wayne is Canadian while Jones is American), there were one too many people who believed that Jones stole Wayne away from Canada and even worse, predicted that their marriage would not last. "They also said our marriage wouldn't work, and here we are, 33 years later," the NHL star told CBS News in 2021.
According to AP News, Wayne and Jones' real-life meet-cute happened in the early '80s, when he was serving as a celebrity judge on "Dance Fever," and Jones was a dancer on the show. A true Hollywood love story, the pair ran into each other a few years later at a Los Angeles Lakers game, hit things off immediately, and pretty much never left each other's sides.
Per Chatelaine, at the time of their wedding, Jones was already four months pregnant with their first child. Paulina Gretzky was born five months later in December 1988 via Caesarean section.
Yes, Paulina Gretzky knew her dad was The Great One
While some children of famous figures are completely unaware of the fact that their parents are well-known and highly recognizable celebrities, Paulina Gretzky was the exact opposite. Golf Digest notes that the daughter of Wayne Gretzky was "born four months after" her dad "was traded from Edmonton to the L.A. Kings." By that time, he was already a sports icon and the spotlight around him wasn't quick to fade thanks to his stellar skills. As Bleacher Report put it, "After looking back on a 20-year career, no one can say Gretzky didn't meet such expectations in a storybook career that not only saw him obliterate records, but skate away as the greatest athlete ever."
Golf Digest asked the former NHL star's daughter in 2014 if she was aware of the fact that her dad was "The Great One" while growing up. "Totally! I went to games with my mom all the time, especially in New York," she said.
Now that Paulina is an adult, she's able to relate: She's with one of the world's top golfers, Dustin Johnson. "One thing I get from my mom is this constant need to support the person that you're with," she said. "In this athletic world, I see how hard it is for Dustin sometimes." At least her parents can help the younger couple navigate the path that they face together.
Paulina Gretzky had a relatively normal childhood
Despite having Wayne Gretzky — aka one of hockey's most revered players of all time — as their father, Janet Jones and her husband made a good attempt to give their kids a normal childhood. According to Chatelaine, Paulina Gretzky and all of her siblings were born and raised in Los Angeles — a city that actually made it easier for them to lead regular lives. "I always felt like I fit in," Paulina told Flare in 2005. "I never felt any different than anyone else. My parents have a lot of help in the house — housekeepers and stuff like that — but my parents [not limos] took us to school."
Jones also revealed to Chatelaine that, despite the celebrity status her kids grew up around, it was more than important to help them develop a strong and positive value system. "I want them to be appreciative," she told the outlet. "Neither Wayne nor I grew up with all this and what we are able to give our children. And I think that we're both two people that are appreciative of what we have."
Her partner is top golfer Dustin Johnson
In August 2013, Paulina Gretzky and pro golfer Dustin Johnson announced their engagement on social media. Funnily enough, Johnson apparently met Paulina's mom, Janet Jones, before he met his future significant other. Johnson and Janet both attended the Hero World Challenge golf tournament in 2009, which is where they were initially introduced, according to Business Insider. The Gretzky family then welcomed him over to their house for dinner, which is where he met Paulina, with whom he had "undeniable chemistry," per GOLF. But there was something standing in the way of a potential romance at the time: They were both in relationships. Instead, Paulina explained that they "became good friends." And then, her "whole family became friends" with her beau-to-be. "My brothers and parents saw him a lot more than I did," she recalled.
Paulina also opened up to Golf Digest about their first meeting, saying, "So I show up looking like a complete ragamuffin, and here's this really cute guy. I didn't stay long, but he was such a gentleman, so endearing." She went on to tell the outlet, "He's always been that way to me. We exchanged numbers, and here we are."
While that makes it sound like everything went smoothly after their introduction, Paulina revealed that her first date with Johnson, which finally happened 2012, wasn't what most people would expect. She told GOLF, "I don't know if you can call it a date since my dad tagged along." OMG, Daaaaad!
Paulina Gretzky and Dustin Johnson are close to her parents
Paulina Gretzky's first Instagram post in June 2013 was an image of herself as a child in the arms of her famous father, Wayne Gretzky, with the caption, "Every Little Girls First Love ... Their Dad." She also used social media to send out a birthday message to him in January 2018. Along with a photo of a younger version of herself sitting on her dad's lap while he had a microphone in front of him, she referred to the number her father used while playing professional hockey in the NHL, writing, "99 on the ice but number 1 in my heart."
While it's pretty obvious that Paulina was fond of her dad as a child, it's also clear that she's still close to her parents as an adult. According to Sports Illustrated's Vault, even in 2015, she and her partner, Dustin Johnson, rented a townhouse just down the street from her parents and usually went to Wayne and his wife Janet Jones' house each morning for breakfast, as well as nearly every evening for dinner. Apparently, that kind of family-oriented lifestyle — which involves quality time with Charlie and Daisy, respectively their black Labradoodle and goldendoodle, as well nights binge-watching TV shows like "Homeland" and "Sons of Anarchy" — is "a world away from the couple's days as social-media superstars," the outlet notes, which is when "their Instagram accounts [were] filled with jet-setting adventures."
First comes love, then comes babies for Paulina Gretzky
Paulina Gretzky and Dustin Johnson have two children together, sons Tatum Johnson and River Jones Johnson. When River was born in 2017, Paulina shared a now-deleted photo of Tatum giving his little brother a kiss on the head and added the caption, "Welcome to the world baby boy ... we all love you so much" (via People).
It sounds like she enjoys this new chapter. When Johnson talked to Golf.com that January about parenting, he said Paulina loves motherhood. He explained, "Everything about being a mom is her favorite." And it seems like everything about being a grandpa is their grandpa's favorite.
When Paulina's first little one was born, her father, Wayne Gretzky, told ET Canada, "I said [to Johnson], 'I'm going to get him in skates before you get him a golf club." The former NHL star clarified that he wasn't "trying to put pressure on him," but there's a big question about which sports stick the kid will pick up. "Dustin thinks he's going to hit golf balls first, but I think he's going to skate first!" Wayne said. We're sure he'll be doing both!
Paulina Gretzky wiped her Instagram account
In September 2018, Paulina Gretzky deleted a slew of posts from her Instagram account, according to USA Today Sports' For The Win. What could prompt her to wipe her social media stream almost completely clean? Well, while she didn't confirm or deny any possible reasons, the move did come around the same time that there was speculation that her partner, Dustin Johnson, had cheated on her with a woman named Yassie Safai, according to TMZ Sports.
Despite the alleged infidelity buzz, TMZ Sports reported that "a deeply connected source tells us they're NOT broken up," and "the alleged mistress is adamant she NEVER hooked up with the PGA superstar." Safai tried to clear things up, saying, "I am not in a relationship with Dustin Johnson. Nor have we had any prior relationship." She added that she met "met Dustin Johnson at Sherwood Country Club," and had "run into him at Sherwood maybe 4 times since then and yes briefly spoke with him, like I'm sure any avid golfer and member would."
As for Johnson, he took to Twitter to respond to the speculation, writing, "Every relationship goes through its ups and downs, but most importantly, we love each other very much and are committed to being a family. Thank you for your love and support." Paulina didn't talk about the situation openly and she did eventually post a shot of herself and Johnson on Instagram in October 2019, so it seemed all was well?
Kid Rock is friends with Paulina Gretzky's family
If you take a look at Paulina Gretzky's Instagram account, it seems as if her social circle is primarily filled with her gal pals. You can see them hanging out in incredibly stylish outfits like "Charlie's Angels" in the snow, posing around (and on) a golf cart in matching swimsuits as you do, and giving off "Bae Watch" vibes in the sun (again in matching swimsuits). However, while she clearly likes to spend time with her girls, it turns out that she's also buddies with Kid Rock. In fact, he happens to be a family friend. She told Golf Digest in 2014, "My mom and dad [Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones] have been friends with Kid for a long time." Talk about unexpected celebrity companions!
And it's not like they're just amicable acquaintances. It turns out that Paulina's dad helped the "Only God Knows Why" singer-songwriter and "Bawitdaba" rapper make friends with her partner, Dustin Johnson. "My dad finally introduced Dustin to Kid because Kid said he didn't have anyone to hang out with in Jupiter. Finally he and Dustin got to play golf together, and now Kid's totally on this golf train."
That's right, if you're ever in Florida, you might see Paulina and Wayne Gretzky, as well as Janet Jones, Dustin Johnson, and Kid Rock, teeing off on the 18th hole together.
Paulina Gretzky might've used Donald Trump's chopper
Politics is certainly a touchy topic these days (but really, isn't it always?), which is perhaps why Paulina Gretzky isn't noticeably vocal about how she votes — that is, assuming she votes. However, she may have hinted at her political leanings in June 2018, when she shared a photo of herself on Instagram that showed her on a landing area, holding her sunglasses on with one hand with a drink in the other. What does that have to do with politics? Well, what caught people's attention was the fact that there was a helicopter in the background that had "Trump" prominently displayed on the aircraft. She captioned her photo with: "[HELLICOPTER] HAMPTONS @kmelnichenko."
While Paulina didn't give her social media followers any further info about the pic or any other details about her trip, which apparently included a ride on then-President Donald Trump's helicopter (or, at least, one owned by his family or one of his businesses), it turns out that she and bestie Kristina Melnichenko took the "$7 million Sikorsky S-76 MAGAcopter" to attend the U.S. Open, according to Inquisitr.
While some comments on the post were seemingly supportive — for instance, messages like "Nice ride" and "Love this!" — other people were not impressed at all. Another person felt like it was "not a good pic," while someone else wrote, "Shame on you."
Sports aren't really Paulina Gretzky's thing
Paulina Gretzky may be the daughter of Wayne Gretzky, one of the most notable athletes of all time — however, it doesn't seem like she's interested in hockey ... at all. And if you were thinking that Paulina is perhaps more interested in teeing off since she's in a relationship with professional golfer Dustin Johnson, think again. Even Golf Digest noted that it would "be a stretch to call Paulina Gretzky an avid golfer or fitness fanatic" — that is, despite the fact that they were doing a fitness profile on her. Paulina herself told the outlet, "I didn't appreciate golf as much when I was little, probably because my mom put us in tennis camps and golf camps." More recently, she attended the entirety of her famous father's 18-hole golf tournament. However, she admitted, "Felt like the longest day of my life, but I stuck through it."
However, Paulina does have some sports-related skills, she just may not be interested in honing them. She told Golf Digest, "The truth is, I was a total tomboy and loved sports. Dad always says I was his best athlete." On top of that, Johnson revealed to Golf.com that Paulina actually has "a really good golf swing." However, she only plays a couple of times a year and doesn't like to practice, so she isn't as good as she could be. We have to wonder if she'd end up on the LGPA if she put in the work.
Paulina Gretzky couldn't resist the siren song of showbiz
Paulina Gretzky may be a model — although, to be honest, Sports Illustrated's Vault noted in 2015 that she was "mostly known for racy pictures on Twitter and Instagram that often made their way to click-bait websites" — but she's also an actor and pop singer. In fact, The Sun reports that, in order to take a shot at showbiz, she opted to forgo a college education. Was that choice worth it? Perhaps only she can decide that, but you may want to consider a few facts about her professional life if you want to judge for yourself.
While Paulina has appeared on the covers of magazines like Flare and Golf Digest, The Sun notes that "her singing career hasn't been quite so successful." Granted, her song "Collecting Dust" was used on MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," so there's that. As for acting, Paulina's industry résumé isn't the most prestigious and definitely isn't lengthy. However, she has popped up in 2009's "Fame" as the "Gorgeous Blonde Senior" and played "Bikini Girl Daisy" in 2013's "Grown Ups 2." But who knows what kind of roles she might land in the future?
She's followed in her mother's footsteps in several ways
Welcome to Hollywood, where kids tend to walk in their parents' footsteps. Paulina Gretzky is obviously no exception. In her heyday, mom Janet Jones was a working actor with credits in movies like "Annie" and "A League of Their Own," as previously mentioned. However, following her marriage to Wayne Gretzky and the birth of their kids, Jones largely stepped away from the public eye and Tinseltown, seemingly to take care of her family. These days, you are most likely to find Jones sharing glimpses of her life on Instagram. But even though she is hardly involved in showbiz these days, save for a handful of onscreen credits over the past decade, Jones' love for the industry rubbed off on her oldest child.
As previously mentioned, for several years, Paulina was an aspiring actor, singer, and model. Fun fact: Her 2005 Flare cover story came nearly two decades after her mom modeled for the same magazine back in 1988. "I want to be a triple threat," Paulina proudly said, later noting a life lesson she learned from her mom and dad: "You're not going to succeed at everything, but for the thing that you really have a passion, you will."
However, just like her mother, Paulina seems to be barely pursuing a career in entertainment these days and is rather more focused on her family life with Dustin Johnson. As she revealed to Golf Digest in 2014, ahead of her career aspirations, "The most important thing for me right now is my relationship with Dustin."
No shortage of dough for the Gretzky family
Paulina Gretzky may not be a top athlete like her father, Wayne Gretzky, or her partner, Dustin Johnson, and she may not be an A-list actor, model, or singer, but that doesn't mean that she's not rich. And she certainly enjoys her jet-set lifestyle. If there's any doubt about that, take a look at the fact that she posts pics of herself traveling on a private jet and her friend literally wears a swimsuit that says "jet setter" on Instagram. She also pairs her pics with captions that put a silly spin on her adventures, such as one image of herself climbing the stairs of a jet with: "Taking off to a place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talkin' about a little place called Aspen!" If that sounds familiar to you, then you've surely seen "Dumb and Dumber" once or twice.
So how can Paulina afford such a lavish lifestyle? It helps that she has around $5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. That's pretty impressive, however, it's not nearly as much as her partner who has $50 million, not to mention what her mom, Janet Jones, is banking with a stunning $100 million, and her dad's funds which are in the range of $250 million. You know, chump change.
Apparently, Paulina will have to start negotiating bigger paychecks if she wants to rise to the money-making level of her family members.
Paulina Gretzky and Dustin Johnson tied the knot
In August 2021, Paulina Gretzky revealed on her Instagram Stories (via Page Six) that she would finally be tying the knot with her longtime fiancé, Dustin Johnson, at the Blackberry Farm, a luxury resort in Tennessee. After a nine-year engagement, their nuptials finally happened in on April 23, 2022.
According to the New York Post, Gretzky and Johnson — alongside many of their loved ones — traveled to The Volunteer State ahead of the couple's big day. Gretzky, who previously hosted a few of her friends to a St Barts' bachelorette party in March, found her maid of honor in bestie Kristina Melnichenko, with whom she went wedding dress shopping. Who did Gretzky wear? Vera Wang, of course, as she previously teased on social media. Yup, one thing was certain — this bride was going all out for the couple's special day! Some admittedly blurry paparazzi shots of the ceremony and reception made the rounds online, but Gretzky herself took to her Instagram Stories to share an inside look at the wedding weekend, which included everything from a lavish rehearsal dinner and private jets to gorgeous pink flower arrangements.
While the pro golfer confessed to not participating much in the wedding planning, he did share a sweet handwritten note with his new wife ahead of tying the knot, which Gretzky in turn showcased on Instagram (via People): "Paulina, you are the love of my life. I'm counting the seconds until I marry you. I love you to the moon and back. xo, Dustin."