The Rock on "Walking Tall"

Wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson takes on the role of Chris Vaughn in "Walking Tall," based on the true story of Buford Pusser. In this 2004 version, The Rock not only beats up the bad guys, he also gets the chance to show off his acting muscles in a dramatic courtroom scene in which he has to get his entire town to come around to his way of thinking. According to the filmmakers, it was The Rock's physical prowess and his kind personality that made him the perfect choice for this new version of "Walking Tall."

INTERVIEW WITH THE ROCK:

How does your take on the character differ from the original?
Frankly not that much, to be honest with you. No, not at all. You know, I was proud to play this character and for me to play someone with that much integrity, heart, honor, and not only that but to play a soldier, is a real honor to me. It really, really is.

Does that theme of one man against a corrupt society hold up as well as it did in the 1970s?
Sure, I think so, absolutely. I think it’s timeless and it’s ageless. It’s like 'walking tall' – that’s what it means. It doesn’t matter whether it’s 30 years ago, whether it’s today, whether it’s 50 years from now, you stand up for yourself and you fight for the right thing. Not for fame or glory, but because it’s the right thing to do. That is always inspiring to me.

What was the mood like on the set?
For me, we all worked just like a team. I loved working like that. It’s fantastic. Everybody worked together to put out a movie that delivered, that gave people their money’s worth, which was very important. I mean, it’s hard to make good movies nowadays. If you can get a movie like this where people across the country have been going crazy about it, it’s fantastic.

This is such a heavy drama. Is there any more comedy in your future?
Yeah, I’m getting ready to wrap a comedy with John Travolta and Uma Thurman. It’s going to be awesome. I had a lot of fun – I love comedy.

What’s it like to see your face plastered all over Hollywood Blvd.?
I know, it’s awesome. I’m walking tall, I’ve got a big-ass nose, my head is about 18’ wide. It’s awesome. My nose is about 12’ wide in that poster. It’s really scary.

INTERVIEWS FROM THE PREMIERE OF "WALKING TALL":
Neal McDonough / Khleo Thomas / Michael Bowen

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
"Walking Tall" Premiere Photos
"Walking Tall" Credits, Trailer, and Movie News