Rainn Wilson, best known for his role as Dwight Schrute in NBC’s The Office, is trading in his spectacles for drumsticks in The Rocker. Wilson plays Robert ‘Fish’ Fishman, a washed up rock ‘n’ roll drummer who is given a second chance at stardom through his nephew’s high school rock band.
"I love rock ‘n’ roll kind of comedies…. It has great slapstick physical humor but also, at the same time, it’s got a great story with real characters," Wilson said.
While Wilson has had many supporting roles, this is the first time he’s been the marquee star of a picture, and he acknowledges the different challenges such a role presents.
"This is my first real starring role, so that was pretty exciting and kind of intimidating…. (Having) my name above the poster – that’s kind of scary," he said. "It is very different (from a supporting role). When I play Dwight, I’m also in reaction to what Steve (Carell) is doing or what the character of Jim (John Krasinski) is doing on the set. I react to situations, but when you’re the lead, you’re the person driving the situations. You’re driving the comedy, and that’s a whole different kind of energy that you need."
The role also took a physical toll on Wilson.
"(I was) beaten up and battered as the movie went along. My character Fish, over the course of the movie, just gradually gets beaten down by the rock star lifestyle as the band goes on tour and hits the road," he said. "There’s one scene where I take my shirt off and throw my sweaty shirt into the audience, and you can see bruises up and down my rib cage."
Wilson was proud to report he performed most of his stunts. One came to mind as a favorite memory of the production.
"I rode a tricycle into a swimming pool. That’s fun. But it’s not fun when you have to do it to perfect camera angles, and you have to do it like four times," he said.
Comparisons have been drawn between The Rocker and Jack Black’s School of Rock, but aside from superficial similarities, Wilson sees it "like apples and oranges."
"I think other than the fact that there’s an older guy and some younger people in there and rock and roll music, there’s not really any comparison. There’s no school, there’s no someone teaching rock ‘n’ roll, there’s no contest…. But they both definitely are great rock ‘n’ roll comedies," he said.
Some scenes required a comedic display of nudity, which didn’t faze in the slightest.
"I am willing to do anything to get a laugh. And if that means showing my pale fleshy buttocks, so be it," he said.
Unlike his character Fishman, Wilson does not play the drums in real life, but he is no stranger to the music world. In addition to playing the guitar, Wilson is also a talented clarinet and bassoon player.
"I was a total band geek in high school," he said in a moment of confession.
Looking to the future, in addition to The Rocker, Wilson will be continuing his role as Dwight on The Office, which enters its fifth season this fall, and will be featured in next year’s Transformers sequel, Revenge of the Fallen.
On the whole, Wilson is very pleased with the way his career is progressing.
"I started my acting career by doing Shakespeare and the theater in New York and on tours," he said. "So who would have thought that I would have been an international sex symbol by this point in my early 40s?"
Sarcasm aside, Wilson is optimistic about both his present and future endeavors.
"I’m getting to do comedy and lots of great projects, and I’m in an awesome TV show, and I’m getting to do some movies, and who knows? You just never know which way your career is going to lead you," he said.
The Rocker hits theaters August 20, and is rated PG-13 for mild language, some drug and alcohol references and brief comedic nudity.
