He's a conventional mummy's boy

By Jeannie Williams, USA TODAY

The Rock is getting his own bounce from the GOP convention, where he spoke amid some controversy about the Republicans' embrace of the World Wrestling Federation and its WWF Smackdown! star.

And Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — his screen name — has bounced into the movies, having just completed work in his first role, as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns. The film features a cast including returnees from last year's The Mummy, led by Brendan Fraser.

"I look like a fierce warrior," Johnson says of the part. But director Stephen Sommers made certain that "you could see my face, you would know it was The Rock." He is less recognizable at the end when his bottom half becomes a scorpion through computerized effects.

"It's a massive figure, awesome," Johnson says.

Since the convention, he has been getting a different kind of recognition. "People talk about not necessarily the WWF stuff, but 'Wow, we saw you at the convention.'"

He has always had movies as a long-term goal. The WWF stars portray characters, so acting and dialogue aren't exactly new to the 28-year-old, who is based in Florida .

He had a fine time shooting The Mummy Returns in Morocco (he took his usual security men), enjoying the beauty of the Sahara — "until I got sunstroke. It gets to be over 100 every day."

The Scorpion King battles Fraser's treasure hunter at the climax (the movie is due from Universal in May). Guess who wins, and The Rock isn't used to losing. "But there'll be a lot of winning in the prequel, maybe." He's in talks about that film, in which he'd be the key character.

He also has an untitled project with Hollywood heavy hitter Joe Roth, now running his own studio, Revolution, and might begin it as soon as November. (He has talked to WWF chief Vince McMahon about being away from the ring.)

It's a sci-fi adventure with director James Wong and writer Glen Morgan (Final Destination) . "I will play dual roles, and I'm real excited about that. The Rock has met his match — The Rock!"