The Rock on movies, misquotes & comebacks
By Phil Speer
(courtesy of The Rock.com)

Miss The Rock? Good. The Rock misses you too. In a phone interview with TheRock.com as the People's Champion was being driven from one commitment to another in California, The Rock admitted that he's come to realize that he needs the World Wrestling Federation. "I just can't wait to come back," The Rock said. "I've been frank with the few people I'm close to -- and Vince (McMahon) is one of those people -- that regardless of what I do, where I go in the film industry, or how many movies I make, I will always need the WWF. I will always need that outlet. Now I can honestly say, having been away, that I'm going to need that. I'm always going to need that electricity that I bring and that the crowd gives me. I'm always going to need that vibe. So you can always count on The Rock being in the WWF, some way, some form or fashion, always."

The Rock has made similar comments to every reporter who has interviewed him. However, some fans are still not satisfied because there was that one time he seemingly said otherwise. In the May edition of Premiere, he was quoted as saying that yes, maybe he would leave the Federation so he could concentrate fully on movies. Today, The Rock says that he didn't say that.

"I know the writer (from Premiere) very well," The Rock said. "He's a good writer and he didn't mean anything by it, but I was certainly misquoted. It's great to be considered the next action star, but I preface every single statement I make about acting being a long-term goal. I tell every single reporter this: 'Let me remind you that there is nothing like competing in a WWF arena with the fans. The fans are so passionate.' I've been very vocal about that. So I will clear that up and I'm glad I had the opportunity to clear that up now. It was a misquote. I said that -- I said, 'This is certainly want I want to do' regarding acting -- but there was a 'but' after that that just didn't make the story."

Filming "The Scorpion King," however, is so demanding that The Rock doesn't have time to sit around and worry about being misquoted.

According to The Rock, the movie is already anxiously anticipated, which is virtually unprecedented for a film that is still in the principal photography phase. Audience testing indicates that fans are well aware of the movie and plan to see it when it's released next summer, which is a testament to the success of "The Mummy Returns" as well as the star power of The Rock.

"The cast and crew is working extremely hard," he said. "Last night, for example, we worked 18 hours. Tonight we'll work another 16 hours with the main focus to put out just an unbelievably entertaining movie."

The six-time Federation Champion said that filming of the movie will probably be finished next week. However, there will still be much work to be done -- scenes will need to be re-shot and voiced over, for example.

"Once I'm done, I'll definitely go back home (to Miami)," The Rock said. "Obviously, my work will carry through into July. I'm going to have to go home and spend time with my family -- there's certainly no rest for the weary -- and then start preparing and shift my focus to coming back to the WWF. It looks like SummerSlam will be the ultimate return. The ultimate spectacle, if you will."

When The Rock says he needs to shift his focus, he doesn't mean he needs to get back in the gym. In spite of workdays that continues through all hours of the morning, the People's Champion has continued to make time to maintain his conditioning regimen. He has a wrestling ring at home that he'll begin practicing in every day once he gets back to Florida. He hasn't stepped into a wrestling ring since the day after WrestleMania X-Seven, when he was beaten down by Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H, and then subsequently "suspended indefinitely" by Mr. McMahon. But The Rock is still keeping up with the Federation. "Trust me when I tell you I think about the WWF every single day and think about returning every single day," he said. "I think of ideas every single day. It's an ambivalent feeling because I watch the shows. I get the shows sent to me every single week -- and every spare moment I have, whether it's in the makeup trailer, whether it's in my own trailer, whether it's at home, I watch RAW and I watch SmackDown!, and a lot of times I watch them twice a week.

"When I watch the shows, I know what I can do and I know what The Rock does. And frankly nobody does it like The Rock. That makes me want to come back even more."

Asked if anyone has impressed him in the shows he has watched since he has been away, The Rock mentioned a certain temperamental Texan.

"I think Steve Austin has done a tremendous job with his character," he said. "He's done a very good job of adjusting and continuing to adjust. The Steve Austin I see now has been very entertaining, which is something that wasn't necessarily that prevalent in his career because his character was such a kick-ass guy. Now he mixes being a kick-ass guy with being an entertaining guy -- an extremely entertaining guy -- which to me makes the character have that much more depth. I watch him very closely because I know the chemistry we have. And I know that's my dancing partner so to speak."

The Rock said that other superstars must step up, especially with Triple H now off television as well. "The show must go on," he said. "And the show has gone on without The Rock. The show has gone on without Triple H and will continue to do so. From a business standpoint I hated to see that (Triple H getting hurt). The show must and will go on. There are a lot of other guys who are looking for opportunities who work extremely hard and will do everything they can to take advantage of those opportunities."

The schedule won't get much lighter for The Rock, even when "The Scorpion King" has wrapped. His wife, Dany, is due to give birth to the couple's first child, a baby girl they've named Simone, in late August. Does that mean there will have to be a helicopter waiting outside every arena in case Dany goes into labor during RAW or SmackDown!?

"We might have to do that," The Rock said. "I definitely plan on being there. Whether it's via private jet, via helicopter, or via Timmy and Jimmy, which are my feet. I'll run."