Randy Orton on Following the Rock’s Career Path, Getting Started in Wrestling, and More

WWE superstar Randy Orton continues to make his “rounds” promoting his new film, “12 Rounds: Reloaded.” His latest interview was with Shockya.com, where he talks about getting started in the wrestling business, wanting to follow The Rock’s path of wrestler/actor, and much more. Here are some excerpts from the article.

On filming action scenes and how his experience in the WWE helps: “It was two completely different things for me. The stuntmen loved me because I was wanting to do everything. There were only a couple stunts that I wasn’t allowed to do myself. Short little takes are how a lot of directors would piece a scene together — and spend days and weeks on a fight scene. Roel Reiné, our director, spent five hours on a fight scene where I fight two cops. It’s not the longest fight scene — it’s about a minute or a minute-and-a-half (in the movie). It’s really cool. Even though it’s take after take, we shot for a long time. That was all we did that day. As a matter of fact, I think that was our first day. Roel knew that beating up the stuntmen and kicking them in the face would probably be a little easier for me, and less stressful (laughing), than any of the real heavy acting stuff. So he was warming me up. But I was a lot more dressed than I am when I’m working in the WWE. There are lots of differences. Usually I’m wearing my little tights out there, and on the movie I’m dressed (with pads). And I had the EMT outfit, which also felt really awkward. But I had to feel like an EMT. The few hours of acting classes that I was able to get under my belt before this movie definitely helped me try to get as comfortable as I could playing the character I was playing.”

On getting into the wrestling business: “Yeah, basically I grew up in the business. I didn’t see myself following in my father’s footsteps, but everyone around me did, you know? When I was at school that was a common question, or assumption. The older I got, the more people would ask. But I just never had the confidence in myself to believe that I could be capable of doing something like that. These guys that my dad brought around the house when I was young were just larger-than-life, they were giants. When you have Andre the Giant sitting at your dinner table, who is a real giant, it’s almost like a fantasy land. If you grow up as a wrestling fan like I did, and like all of us did in the WWE locker room, it’s cool to actually have those memories — where as a fan I actually got to eat dinner with these guys. Bret Hart babysat me while my father went and wrestled when I was on the road with him. These guys treated me like family. But no, I never saw myself following in my father’s footsteps. It wasn’t until I went into the Marine Corps when I was 19, or 18, rather, and I realized that wasn’t for me. I got a bad conduct discharge, was at home for a few months in late ’99 and basically said, “Dad, I want to give wrestling a shot. I sure as hell don’t wanna go to college and the Marine Corps wasn’t for me. And I need to make some money, so let’s see if I can do it.” He made a few phone calls, and luckily still had some connections. Guys like Jack Lanza, Pat Patterson, Bruce Pritchard, Tom Pritchard — those guys all helped me get a tryout. And I’d never been in the ring, so they went on a lot of faith and signed me and thought that they could help mold me into a WWE superstar. And now I’m glad they did, because that was a big turning point in my life.”

On following the Rock’s path: “Yeah, kind of like Dwayne Johnson, and the route he’s gone? He’s still around the wrestling world and that’s his first love but the moneymaker for him now is movies and that’s where his heart lies now. I would love for that to happen, I would love for that to happen. But as an actor can you compare me with the Rock? Hell no, hell no. I have a long way to go, and I know that. It’s one thing at a time, and we’ll see how this movie does. And I need some more acting classes before any other movies. I know that. But I want to see how this movie does and see if people think I have that potential.”

Orton also talks about tattoos and more in the rest of the interview, which you can read here.

 

Follow Doug McDonald on Twitter