Steve Austin sets his sights on Hollywood
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
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It's a little odd to hear tough guy Steve Austin complain about the cold. But when talking about The Condemned , his new movie, he mentions a particular two-day shoot for one scene that found him and co-star Vinnie Jones fighting in the rain. "You'd fight, jump under an umbrella, go back to fighting, umbrella," he says. "After two or three hours, it gets cold."
And to think his wrestling character was nearly named Chilly McFreeze.
Luckily, he instead went with Stone Cold as a moniker way back when. As Stone Cold Steve Austin he took more serious knocks, including repeated injuries to his neck from poorly performed pile-drivers. But like Mick Foley (now a writer) and The Rock (now an actor), Austin walked away from wrestling.
The Condemned is his first vehicle, a bludgeon-fest about 10 murderers who are dropped on an island to fight until only one is alive. He/she then gets freedom.
Oh and it's for a reality TV show.
Don't expect Ryan Seacrest (or, for that matter, an Oscar), but the Texas born-and-raised Austin is chatty and enthusiastic about his new role as action film star. He talked to the Chronicle's Andrew Dansby about wrestling, movie-making and the difference a nickname makes.
How different was doing action scenes on film from being in the ring?
Oh, absolutely different. People thought it would be easy for me because of my wrestling background. But it wasn't. I'd never choreographed a fight in my life. At the top level of wrestling, you don't choreograph it. You do something in the ring and get responses and react to that. You decide how a match goes.
Like Stone Cold, Jack Conrad is a questionable guy to root for.
Yeah, but they're very different. I'm looking forward to people seeing that there's more to me than just using four-letter words and beating people up. They've only seen the side of Steve Austin that's Stone Cold. And that's a guy I love in the WWE. But this is Steve Austin being Jack Conrad, not Stone Cold.
Are you liking Los Angeles? Do you miss Texas?
I just bought a ranch, 2,000 acres in south Texas to hunt deer, and for me and my family to enjoy. I was born and raised in Texas, I love Texas. My parents still live 100 miles south of Houston in Edna. But I need to be here right now and do what I can to make meetings and stay busy.
Any regrets about leaving the ring?
I could've stayed around and beat myself up. But I had to look ahead, 10 or 15 years. What would my quality of life be like there? I still want to hunt and fish. I knew acting was something I could do. I didn't pursue it until my wrestling legs were gone. But here I am.
Is there a worst injury ever?
Probably just the one in '96, when I got dropped on my head and was almost paralyzed. But I'm still here. I always consider myself somewhat of a tough guy, but that day I was the luckiest guy in the world. I'm way more lucky than tough any day of the week.
Do you watch much reality TV?
I pretty much steer clear of the tube. Most reality stuff, it's so obviously silly if you think about it. But I think if a show like The Condemned ever came on and if I had the chance to watch, I'd swipe my credit card and give it a test run. Somebody just asked me about American Idol . I don't know how so many people watch one show, but not me. (Laughs.) But no, I'm not an Idol fan.
Ever wonder where you'd be today if you'd gone with the name Chilly McFreeze?
(Laughs.) I think it's safe to say, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now, my friend.
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