Wrestling champ 'The Rock' prefers comedies to action!

By Robin Bansal

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) He is six-foot-four-inch tall and a nine-time world wrestling champion, but contrary to his action image, Dwayne Johnson alias 'The Rock' loves acting in family entertainers like his latest film "Race to Witch Mountain".

So despite being an action figure, Johnson has featured in many humourous movies like "Southland Tales", "The Game Plan", "Get Smart" and "Be Cool". And he credits his movie picks to his seven-year-old daughter.

"I recognised the importance of having a movie that the entire family can see. Being a dad made me understand how important and valuable it is to have really good family films," Johnson said in an e-mail interview to IANS.

But body building is still close to his heart and he follows a strict fitness regime to maintain his huge build.

"Training is always important to me, it is the foundation of my lifestyle and the anchor of my day. I get up very early at 3.45 a.m. and I'm out of the house by 4.45 a.m. and usually training by 5 a.m. I train until 6.15 a.m. and then I'm on the (movie) set by 7 a.m.," Johnson said.

"My workout is my cup of coffee in the morning, my sanctuary. I do a lot of cardio...I keep that consistent, because I like having my heart rate between 120 and 130 for the entire hour and 15 minutes. I combine cardio with resistance training, weights and core training. It is all non-stop and the goal for me is to challenge myself every day with different workouts," added the wrestling champion who weighs 102 kilos.

Johnson, who made his big screen debut in a cameo in a 2000 teen movie, "Longshot: The Movie", follows a simple diet regime.

"My diet is simple and very clean. I stay away from fried foods and fast food. But every third or fourth day, I do give myself the opportunity to completely gorge and I indulge in a little gluttony. I eat pizza or whatever I feel like. I do like a drink or two," said the The 37-year-old Canadian-American actor.

Johnson's "Race to Witch Mountain" hits Indian screens Aug 21. Directed by Andy Fickman, the film is a modern-day re-imagining of Alexander Key's 1968 novel "Escape To Witch Mountain" that was made into a 1975 classic with the same name and followed up in 1978 with "Return from Witch Mountain".

"I was a big fan of the original film while growing up and, coincidentally, my little girl who is seven is a big fan too...before this film was in development, we had watched the older film together. It is such a fascinating theme," he said.

"Race To..." stars Johnson as a cab driver who teams up with two teens with supernatural powers to save the world by unravelling the secrets of the Witch Mountain while eluding the government, mobsters and extra-terrestrials who want to stop them.

Also in the movie are AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Ciar?n Hinds and Carla Gugino.

Going by his heavy-build image, Johnson also guarantees "great action throughout the film" and "big fight scenes".

Johnson is also hopeful the film would be liked by Indian audiences. "Even though the film is going to fire children's imagination, it is going to be entertaining for audiences of all ages," he said.

Johnson, who was first cast as the lead actor in "The Scorpion King" (2001), is content with his career. His future projects include "Planet 51" (voiceover), "Tooth Fairy", a fantasy comedy, and action drama "Faster".

"Everything is non-stop for me just now and I'm very happy. But I want to continue to work in different genres and have that ability to move from action to comedy and make good movies. I just love all aspects of making movies...It is all so enjoyable and I'm very grateful," he said.

• Hollywood News