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By ALEX MARVEZ
April 1, 2004

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson really is "Walking Tall."

Johnson's transformation from pro wrestler to Hollywood superstar
continues this weekend's release of "Walking Tall," which is a remake
of the 1970s movies based on the life of the late Tennessee sheriff
Bufford Pusser. Johnson wanted the role so badly he approached MGM
Studios to green-light the project.

"I was a big fan of the original," Johnson said. "It was important for
me that MGM knew. I wasn't just trying to cash in so to speak on a
great iconic title. That's why we changed the name of the (Pusser)
character to Chris Vaughn and put it in the Pacific Northwest.

"Plus, it's an inspiring role for me. What actor in Hollywood wouldn't
want to play the role of a guy who stands up? It's a very simple
story. It moved me."

As Vaughn, Johnson returns from a military stint to discover the
sleepy logging town in which he was raised has been taken over by a
corrupt casino owner. Johnson proceeds to lay the smack down on the
villains after becoming sheriff, much like the late Pusser did when
busting moonshine stills during the 1960s.

Johnson said he felt comfortable with the Vaughn role because he could
draw from personal experience growing up as the son of pro wrestler
Rocky Johnson.

"I could relate to a guy who didn't have that much while he was
growing up," said Johnson, who has admitted he was arrested multiple
times as a teenager before attending the University of Miami in the
early 1990s on a football scholarship. "While my dad was very
successful in certain (wrestling) territories, we still lived in a lot
of apartments. And there were times in my life when I had to stand up
for things."

Before accepting the role, Johnson made sure he had the blessing of
the Pusser family. Johnson became friends with Pusser's daughter Dwana
and would ask what she thought her father would do when confronted
with the situations Vaughn faced in the movie.

"For me, this me taking my small step in hopefully becoming a decent
actor," said Johnson, who made his acting debut in the 2001 hit "The
Mummy Returns."

"I'm sure Denzel (Washington) would have taken this to an Oscar win. I
just want to do a decent job. But I do think I've come a long way from
'The Mummy Returns,where there was no English dialogue, to 'Walking
Tall.'"

Johnson's performance went over well in McNairy (Tenn.) County, which
is where Pusser was sheriff until his death in a 1970 car accident.
Johnson was recently honored by the city and gave a $5,000 check to
the Buford Pusser Foundation.

"I had to go to the town where Bufford walked and talked," Johnson
said. "It is Bufford Pusser land down there and you don't mess with
that. People are really sensitive about that. I went down there to let
them know I was passionate about this."

While he has reportedly earned $33 million through his movie roles,
Johnson's true passion remains pro wrestling. But Johnson's acting
schedule will cause him to continue making only sporadic appearances
in World Wrestling Entertainment.

Johnson has completed filming a supporting part in "Be Cool," which is
a sequel to the 1995 smash "Get Shorty." Johnson will then start work
on "Spy Hunter," which is an adaptation of the classic 1980s arcade
game.

"I don't think people really regard him as just a wrestler any more,"
said Dave McNary, who covers Hollywood issues for Daily Variety
magazine. "He's regarded as very legitimate."

X . . . X . . . X

Paul "Triple H" Levesque has received plenty of criticism within the
industry for his perceived political maneuvering to suppress the
careers of performers who could challenge his headliner status. But
Levesque deserves credit for losing two recent high-profile matches
that should help elevate the careers of Chris Benoit and Shelton
Benjamin, with the latter upset happening on this week's Monday Night
Raw taping. Look for Triple H to begin what should be an entertaining
feud with Adam "Edge" Copeland this summer.

X . . . X . . .X

Q: Whatever happened to Ole Anderson?

- Jerry Linkous, Andersonville, Tenn.

A: An original member of the legendary Four Horsemen, Anderson left
the wrestling business in the 1990s after more than three decades as a
performer and promoter. Anderson (real name Al Rogowski) recently
wrote a controversial book called "Inside Out: How Corporate America
Destroyed Professional Wrestling" that can be ordered for $19.95 at
www.1wrestlinglegends.com.

More of the Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson interview can be found at
www.wrestlingobserver.com.

- Questions can be sent to Alex Marvez c/o the South Florida
Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301, or
e-mailed to amarvez(at)sun-sentinel.com. Please include your full name
and city of residence. Because of volume, no phone calls will be
accepted and letters will not receive a written reply.


(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)


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