By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast with Dustin Rhodes
Hosts: Chad and JP
Interview available at Tmptow.podomatic.com
Affinity for his new film Copper Bill: “The later I get into my golden years in the wrestling business, I’ve been really diving into acting school and doing these independent movies and Copper Bill is phenomenal. I really do believe you are going to love it and if you don’t, let me hear about it because I need to know. I need to know what I can do to better myself as an actor because just like wrestling we all start somewhere and I’ve got a big leg up (I believe) from being behind the TV and the production and wrestling for 32 years and in script reading so I am no stranger to that and it is so much fun.”
Expectations for moving into acting: “He named me the ‘natural’ for a reason and I really do appreciate that moniker and I love it and I take it to heart so as much as I still have to learn, I can’t wait. I can’t wait. It is going to be such a fun ride for my wrestling fans to see me transfer over into the acting realm and learn my trade there because I think they are with me for the long haul and that’s good. If I can garner some new audience members and some new people that never watched wrestling before, it is kind of different (acting and wrestling) and the crowds are a little bit different and I just look forward to whatever man.”
Whether a full day of shooting a film scene easier on him physically “There was a scene you’ll see where I had to fall down and I wanted to do it and I was getting ready to do it and they were like ‘No, no Dustin,’ and they pulled in a couple of mattresses and they had two or three guys on both sides of the mattresses to make sure they could catch me as I’d fall on the mattress. I am used to falling on concrete and shit like that.”
Does he enjoy doing stunts: “I do not have a problem doing stunts. There are some stunts that absolutely terrify me but of course falling and fight scenes and things like that and a couple of flips here and there. That is easy.”
On the emotional MJF and Cody lashing segment: “We were discussing it and discussing all the people that were going to be involved and it was a matter of Cody in that ring and us doing the little promos, like Taz had one and I had one and getting these people invested in a ten lashes on television across my brother’s back and they got invested. Cody sold it so well and his acting was so good and the way he was taking them and Arn (Anderson) comes out, his big brother comes out and we are all rallying behind him and I wanted to take the lashes for him.
“I think the only thing that might have been a little bit better is if MJF told me to give him the last five lashes, but this was after I was thinking of all these different scenarios. The people were invested in it much like they were invested in our Double or Nothing match of the year moment. They were invested and they were standing, and you get some audience shots of them saying, ‘Oh my God’ and people are just really upset about it. It is uncomfortable. Whippings are always uncomfortable.
“It was really cool being out there and looking in my brother’s eyes and us bringing the people along for this ride with us and Cody did a tremendous job. He is doing so good with everything he touches right now. He really has come into his own. He’s got his own pair of boots and he’s taking the world by storm and I’m very proud of him, I’m glad to be here, it’s an honor, it’s still fun, I’m still passionate. I help out the kids and I have training sessions with the ladies every single Wednesday before everybody gets there, and I teach these kids how to do promos and teach promo classes.
“I am right there when they need something and when they have a hard time with a promo and I’ll give them some advice on how to say this or how to say that and you can see it in them because they want to learn so much and are so passionate about it and they take what I say and they make it their own and you start to see the character come out of them. You can see it on their face that they are excited and they get to say something that was good and instead of the first take that was maybe not so good and that is the best feeling in the world for me is that I can help these kids get to that next level and that is what I love doing.”
AEW stars learning how to present on TV: “A lot of them do not know and I think they are handling it pretty good. There are still some things every single week that I see that I go up to them and I tell them. A lot of times, not all of them but every once in a while, somebody will turn around and face the audience and I’m like okay stop. The next time you do that, don’t do that and turn around because I need you to find your cameras on this side of the arena over here. The million people at home want to see you not 4, 5, or 6,000 in the arena, I want the people at home and your camera is here and your camera is here.
“That’s a transition for them to learn because they are coming from the indies and they never had that. Guys like Chris Jericho, myself, (Jon) Moxley, Cody are teaching that, and it is very important for them to learn. We’ve got three months in now and they are doing good and they are starting to be cognizant of where those cameras are and lifting their heads up because they know the camera is right there to make them look good and the people at home get to see them. If you are looking the other way, they just see your ass and they want to see you.”
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