Dwayne on a drive

He soon realises his two fares are children with exceptional paranormal powers whom he must protect as they elude a collection of ruthless enemies. Directed by Andy Fickman and produced by Andrew Gunn, Race To Witch Mountain features a talented cast that also includes Garry Marshall, Carla Gugino and Cheech Marin. As charming and charismatic in person as he is on screen, Johnson sat down for the following interview on the set of Race To Witch Mountain.

What kind of film is this?
It is an action sci-fi adventure and that is what got me interested and excited. I was excited about the great, intense entertainment in the film. The first ten to fifteen minutes of the movie is like an amazing roller coaster and once you get on it, it never stops, but the action is merged with all the qualities that make up the
Disney brand: heart and family and humour, along with a touch of magic.
 
What kind of character is Jack Bruno?
Jack Bruno is a guy who is unhappy with his life — he is unhappy with the lack of progress he has had so far. He has been in and out of juvenile detention centres since he was 16, and then, everything changes for him one day, when he stumbles upon two teenage kids who happen to hold the fate of our world and their world in their hands. They all set off on an
incredible journey.
 
Can you explain a little more about his journey?
Jack Bruno is not happy with his job – driving a cab. He does not want to live in Las Vegas anymore. He does not communicate with people. The length of his relationships usually runs the length of his fares. So when someone gets in his cab, he will talk to that person from point A to point B, and that is it.
He does not get close to people. That is the way he views the relationships in his life. So, he picks up two kids in his cab one day, and discovers they have incredible powers.
He finds out that they are real aliens and realises that the fate of humanity rests in their hands – and in his hands, too.
 
As a dad, it must be great fun for you, doing a family film like this?
It’s great. I recognise the importance of having a movie that the entire family can see. Being a dad makes me understand how important and valuable it is to have really good family films. My little girl is thrilled, of course, she is over the moon. She has been here on the set with me and has had a tour.

It captures the imagination of children. I know what it was like when I was seven, watching Star Wars and the first Indiana Jones movie. I hope kids will react to our film in a similar way. It is such a fascinating theme.

We have teenage kids who have extraordinary, paranormal powers and I think that is great – they can communicate with animals, they are telekinetic and can move things around with their minds. But even though the film is going to fire children’s imaginations, it is also going to be entertaining for audiences of all ages.
 
Do you enjoy working with kids?
I love it. I am always amazed and impressed at how hard they work, it is a big responsibility for them. I am so proud of these kids. AnnaSophia and Alex are going to be superheroes to kids worldwide when the movie comes out.

Are you doing a lot of your own stunts?
I am doing everything. When I was making The Game Plan, I was recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, so I wasn’t able to do all my own stunts for that film. But by the time we started shooting this film, I was healed, fit and ready to go.
 
What is your fitness regime now and how did you prepare for this film?
Training is always important to me, it is the foundation of my lifestyle and it is the anchor of my day.

    It means I have to get up very early. So if we start shooting at 7 am, I get up
at 3.45. I am out of the house by 4.45 and I am usually training by 5. I train until 6.15 and then I am on the set by 7.

To me, that is so important. My workout is my cup of coffee in the morning, my sanctuary. I do a lot of cardio throughout my workout; I keep that consistent, because I like having my heart rate between 120 and 130 for the entire hour-and-fifteen-minutes.

I combine cardio work with resistance training, weights and core training. It is all non-stop and the goal for me is to challenge myself every day with different kinds of workouts.
 
What about diet?
My diet is simple and very clean – I stay away from fried foods and fast food. But every third or fourth day, I do give myself the opportunity to completely gorge and I indulge in a little gluttony! I eat pizza or whatever I feel like. I do like a drink, too, oh yes.  

The film features paranormal themes. Do you believe there is more to life that meets the eye?
I do, sure. I think it would be arrogant to assume that Earth is the only planet that has life. I do think that question is fascinating and we explore it in this film.