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Jim
Ferguson Interviews
The Rock ("The Scorpion King") |
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StudioLA's Jim Ferguson chats with The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson, about his latest action adventure film role as "The Scorpion King." After the successful release of "The Mummy Returns," and his latest, "The Scorpion King," the WWF star has jumped from the wrestling ring into becoming the next big Hollywood action adventure movie star.
The Rock: Have you been bit by a scorpion? Jim: Twice, yes! The Rock: I want one of those! (pointing to scorpion pin on Jim's lapel) Jim: I really am part of your family of The Scorpion King [laughter] having been bitten by a scorpion a couple of times in Arizona! I'm proud to be part of that [laughter] The Rock: Welcome to the Scorpion clan! Jim: The film itself, this big epic film has an element of the films [of years ago] that you would go to on Saturday morning matinees where you would lead up to something that is going to happen and it would "be continued" the next week. The Rock: Sure, it does, absolutely. That was very important to us in going into this project. To almost bring back the days of old and yet still inject contemporary action and contemporary elements. It reminds me of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Magnificent Seven. It's a big epic, fun movie. A movie you really don't take yourself too seriously, and that everyone enjoys. Jim: I talked with you about The Mummy Returns. The Scorpion King is set before that time period? The Rock: This is set about seven years prior to The Mummy Returns. It's still 3,000 B.C. but it's set about five to ten years before Mathayus becomes a king. Jim: Your character, Mathayus, an Akkadian is a born assassin. Raised to be an assassin, but yet he wants to be a leader of the people. He has a heart.
The Rock: You know what, it's funny, that's one of the great elements about the character. He still has that dark side to him and that's that reluctant hero that always makes things very appealing to a character, at least to me. And he discovers that he is more than just an assassin. He is discovering that [he] was born to lead thousands of men, [to] lead the people. I don't want to be that leader, I don't want to be king. I just want to go on my mission. So he's still ambivalent, he's still fighting these feelings. He discovers that he's more than an assassin, he discovers that he's falling in love as well. Jim: With his number one enemy, that he's supposed to assassinate. Kelly Hu is not bad! [laughter] The Rock: That's right, very beautiful. Yes, she is. Jim: We mentioned humor before. You get a box of popcorn and you sit back and just go on this journey which is wonderful. The guy that plays your sidekick, Grant Heslov, he does add a comic relief to the film. The Rock: Sure. Absolutely. The great thing about acting, the comedic element involved was very important and Grant does a great job playing comedy without really trying to be funny which I really enjoyed. Alot of times that's the comedy that I laugh at, you know when that's straight comedy. For example, he's telling me, "Oh, I'm sorry I can't help you get into Gomorrah." Then, [I say] "Well, I think you can." Bang! And I knock him out and shut him up! [chuckles] Jim: There's so many wonderful scenes. From the very opening scene you come down the fire chimney a lot like Santa Claus. That's just unbelievable. And, then your mode of transportation. Kelly says she wishes it would have been different. The camel, my god, what was that like? The Rock: I know, boy. Here's the thing. You feel for a woman being on a camel for hours and hours and hours, but we know, you've got to feel for us being on a camel for hours and hours, it does not feel good. With the hump. The way you and I are blessed. You know, it's one of those things. Difficult. It hurts. But, that was another great relationship in the movie. Everybody else has horses, the Scorpion King has a camel. Jim: I just want to say this film has adventure, great scenes, it's an epic. Thank you very much. The Rock: Thank you very much, good seeing you again! |
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| AsianConnections wishes to thank The Rock for contributing his valuable time for the interview, for which this would not have been possible. |
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