Black Widow
03-28-2008, 09:15 AM
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, 43, was among the biggest stars of the WWE in the 1990s, winning various titles, but in 2002 he served 80 hours community service for domestic abuse. Since retiring in 2003, he has forged an acting career. His straight-to-DVD film The Condemned is out now. Wrestlemania XXIV can be seen on Sky Box Office at midnight on Sunday.
Why did you go into wrestling?
I loved watching it on TV as a child. After my college football career ended, I worked on a freight dock unloading trucks. I decided to go to wrestling school and finally made it big after eight years in the business.
Did you have any other career options?
Working on the freight dock and driving a forklift. I’ve done manual labour my whole life. I did it between semesters at college, so I’m sure I’d have ended up doing that.
What’s been your most extravagant purchase?
My 2,000acre ranch in Texas. We hunt deer and we’ve got a river for a little bit of fishing.
Why did you retire?
You can’t do it forever and I wasn’t at the 100 per cent mark any more. I wanted to get out and try something else while I was still in one piece. I could have stuck with it for a few more years, but it wouldn’t have been the smartest thing to do.
Why did you go into acting? Did you pick up much acting experience in the ring?
Wrestling doesn't train you for acting - you're performing for cameras and a live crowd of 20,000 to 80,000 people but it's a whole different ball game. It got me enough exposure so that I could try acting after I was out of wrestling. I like to be productive and make money so that's why I want to do movies. I've put my feet up for three years and I get bored. I like to keep making money.
Have you got any other acting roles coming up?
I’m trying to get some scripts in for 2008 and I’m talking about potential projects.
You co-starred with Vinnie Jones on The Condemned. Did he give you any acting tips?
No, we just hung out and had a lot of laughs. We’d drink a few beers after work. I enjoy that guy tremendously.
How important is the soap opera element to wrestling?
Extremely important. Some people think wrestling is just a bunch of violence, but it’s about storylines and angles. The bottom line is about fighting for titles – then they throw in personal issues and feuds. It has to have a story for people to watch.
What’s the most ridiculous storyline you were involved in?
My whole career was a ridiculous storyline that went right. I was supposed to be this guy who destroyed everything in his path and was completely anti-authoritarian. Back then, I was the grey area at a time when wrestlers were either good or evil. It all worked out.
Who has got the best gimmick?
Right now I wouldn't know. When I was around there wasn't anyone to touch me. People are a bit more into reality these days. If someone started ad libbing off the cuff and caused some trouble in the processs he'd be the next big guy.
What’s the most serious injury you’ve sustained?
I was dropped on my head in the ring in 1997 and was a quadriplegic for a couple of minutes. When you’re doing 250 shows a year, your timing’s going to be off sometimes. You’ll have a bad day at the office and have to expect those things. I regained control of my limbs and finished the match but I was off for four months and needed surgery later.
What’s the worst injury you saw during your career?
I saw Owen Hart get killed when he fell off the top of the arena in Kansas City. He landed in the ring and died instantly. It’s difficult to be told one of your buddies just died in the ring and then you’ve got to go out and wrestle there. That’s a tough deal.
Is steroid abuse rife in the wrestling business?
No.
Wrestler Chris Benoit killed himself, his wife and his child last year in what was reported as a steroid-related breakdown. Could it happen again?
I disagree with those reports. America’s prisons are full of people who have committed horrible crimes and 99 per cent of them aren’t taking steroids. Now someone who was on steroids does a terrible thing and it’s because of the steroids? I disagree with that logic. The guy was stressed out and he did some bad things. If there was solid proof that it was down to steroids, then show it to me.
Do you collect your own WWE merchandise?
The toy companies created a million of those damn action figures. I don’t have them on display. You come to my house and you wouldn’t even know I used to be a wrestler. I keep a plaque on one wall of my platinum DVD sales but, other than that, it’s all in a box in the barn. I’m proud of what I did but I don’t live in the past.
metro.co.uk
Why did you go into wrestling?
I loved watching it on TV as a child. After my college football career ended, I worked on a freight dock unloading trucks. I decided to go to wrestling school and finally made it big after eight years in the business.
Did you have any other career options?
Working on the freight dock and driving a forklift. I’ve done manual labour my whole life. I did it between semesters at college, so I’m sure I’d have ended up doing that.
What’s been your most extravagant purchase?
My 2,000acre ranch in Texas. We hunt deer and we’ve got a river for a little bit of fishing.
Why did you retire?
You can’t do it forever and I wasn’t at the 100 per cent mark any more. I wanted to get out and try something else while I was still in one piece. I could have stuck with it for a few more years, but it wouldn’t have been the smartest thing to do.
Why did you go into acting? Did you pick up much acting experience in the ring?
Wrestling doesn't train you for acting - you're performing for cameras and a live crowd of 20,000 to 80,000 people but it's a whole different ball game. It got me enough exposure so that I could try acting after I was out of wrestling. I like to be productive and make money so that's why I want to do movies. I've put my feet up for three years and I get bored. I like to keep making money.
Have you got any other acting roles coming up?
I’m trying to get some scripts in for 2008 and I’m talking about potential projects.
You co-starred with Vinnie Jones on The Condemned. Did he give you any acting tips?
No, we just hung out and had a lot of laughs. We’d drink a few beers after work. I enjoy that guy tremendously.
How important is the soap opera element to wrestling?
Extremely important. Some people think wrestling is just a bunch of violence, but it’s about storylines and angles. The bottom line is about fighting for titles – then they throw in personal issues and feuds. It has to have a story for people to watch.
What’s the most ridiculous storyline you were involved in?
My whole career was a ridiculous storyline that went right. I was supposed to be this guy who destroyed everything in his path and was completely anti-authoritarian. Back then, I was the grey area at a time when wrestlers were either good or evil. It all worked out.
Who has got the best gimmick?
Right now I wouldn't know. When I was around there wasn't anyone to touch me. People are a bit more into reality these days. If someone started ad libbing off the cuff and caused some trouble in the processs he'd be the next big guy.
What’s the most serious injury you’ve sustained?
I was dropped on my head in the ring in 1997 and was a quadriplegic for a couple of minutes. When you’re doing 250 shows a year, your timing’s going to be off sometimes. You’ll have a bad day at the office and have to expect those things. I regained control of my limbs and finished the match but I was off for four months and needed surgery later.
What’s the worst injury you saw during your career?
I saw Owen Hart get killed when he fell off the top of the arena in Kansas City. He landed in the ring and died instantly. It’s difficult to be told one of your buddies just died in the ring and then you’ve got to go out and wrestle there. That’s a tough deal.
Is steroid abuse rife in the wrestling business?
No.
Wrestler Chris Benoit killed himself, his wife and his child last year in what was reported as a steroid-related breakdown. Could it happen again?
I disagree with those reports. America’s prisons are full of people who have committed horrible crimes and 99 per cent of them aren’t taking steroids. Now someone who was on steroids does a terrible thing and it’s because of the steroids? I disagree with that logic. The guy was stressed out and he did some bad things. If there was solid proof that it was down to steroids, then show it to me.
Do you collect your own WWE merchandise?
The toy companies created a million of those damn action figures. I don’t have them on display. You come to my house and you wouldn’t even know I used to be a wrestler. I keep a plaque on one wall of my platinum DVD sales but, other than that, it’s all in a box in the barn. I’m proud of what I did but I don’t live in the past.
metro.co.uk