Dwayne Johnson Talks Getting Physical In β€˜Witch Mountain'

He still might be best known as a man of action, but don't plan on calling Dwayne Johnson "The Rock" anymore. Years after completing his mission of conquering the WWE wrestling circuit, Johnson has a new one β€” conquering the box office.

"I love physicality and it's been a while since I have gone back to the genre because I was just waiting for the right opportunity," Dwayne told AccessHollywood.com's Dish of Salt, Laura Saltman, in an interview about his latest film, "The Race to Witch Mountain." "The action in this was a great opportunity for me to kick some ass."

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Johnson was still billed with his "Rock" moniker in action movies like "The Scorpion King," "The Rundown," and "Doom," and it allowed him to make an easy transition from wrestling superstar in the ring to action superstar on the silver screen.

He broadened his audience and showcased his comedic chops when he hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 2000 and 2002, and expanded his demographic reach even further by starring in family friendly films like "The Game Plan" and most recently taking a stand-out supporting role in the Steve Carell-starring hit remake of "Get Smart." And by this time, "The Rock" was no longer seen sitting in between "Dwayne" and "Johnson" on the movie poster credits.

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Taking his personal game plan even further, Johnson stars as the reluctant hero in the Disney re-imagining of its classic "Witch Mountain" series from the 1970s.

"I loved the idea of playing the guy who's unlikely of being the hero and he gets the opportunity to touch greatness and that greatness is saving the world," he says of his role as Jack Bruno, an ex-con turned Las Vegas taxi driver.

Something that perhaps sets this Disney film apart from previous releases under the squeaky clean brand name is the amped-up action, elaborate special effects, and high-octane intensity that is played out for its young audience.

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"Disney has been a great partner with us. They said 'push the envelope' and give us something that you wouldn't necessarily expect from a Disney movie," he said.

"But what's also important is that we are very aware of the Disney brand so that we can infuse great adventure, great action, great stunt sequences, infuse all that and making sure we infuse that with the great elements that make up Disney too," he added. "You can't ever forget the core values which are heart and family and humor. And in this case, the element of fantasy. That was a great challenge to infuse all that, and at its core, we told a good message."

In the diverse slate of films Johnson has starred in, taking on the role of a man who unwittingly finds himself escorting and protecting two teens with alien powers to a rendezvous point at the mysterious Witch Mountain was a decision he is happy to stand behind.

"I like all kinds of movies, but when family movies are done correctly, every family member can relate to someone on that screen," he said. "Whether it's me, you, parents, grandparents, whoever it is, we can relate."

Although Johnson might be slowly softening his image on screen, he is still a softie at heart regarding the type of movies he most enjoys.

"I personally like movies that make me feel good. Typically if I see a movie that makes me cry, like heart-wrenching crying, I'm like 'God I don't want to do that!'" Dwayne said.

But what was the last movie that actually made him cry?

"It probably would have been 'The Wrestler,'" the man formerly known as "The Rock" admitted.

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