Exclusive Ring Rust Radio interview with WWE Superstars and stars of "The Marine 4: Moving Target," The Miz and Summer Rae

The hosts of Ring Rust Radio – Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin – recently had the chance to speak to The Miz and Summer Rae, stars of the new movie “The Marine 4: Moving Target” and find out what it’s like to be a WWE Superstar on the set of a movie and where their WWE careers are headed now that The Miz has retained his brand against former tag team partner Damien Sandow.

You can listen to the interview on YouTube below or continue past the link and read the entire interview right here!

Donald Wood: Your movie, “The Marine 4: Moving Target,” was released on DVD and Blu-Ray today, April 21. While you have done several WWE films, this is your second consecutive time working on the Marine franchise. Do you feel you have taken over the role as the Marine on a permanent basis, like we see in 007 films?

The Miz: It was a huge honor to be asked to do the Marine once again.  We know John Cena did the first, Ted DiBiase did the second, and I did the third.  Then to be asked to come back and do the fourth I couldn’t believe it.  Anytime you do a movie with the name Marine in it, you have a huge pressure put on your shoulder.  Those are real heroes over in war zones, sacrificing their lives, being away from their family and friends, and here I am being an actor portraying them it’s a huge honor and I hope I make them proud and entertain them and they enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Mike Chiari: You really established yourself as a successful actor in “The Marine 3,” but it was your first starring role in a movie, so how would you say that experience changed things for you when it came to filming “The Marine 4: Moving Target?” What were some of the main differences for you as an actor between the two movies?

The Miz: Whenever you do your first movie, you’re not necessarily lost, but it’s easy to get lost.  I was a person that set out and had the luxury to have Scott Wiper as my director.  Really took me under his wing and guided me through the entire process and hone in on what I had to do.  Now each time I do another movie I continue to learn from each movie I do.  With Marine 3, I went onto “Christmas Bounty,” and I learned from the other actors and other directors each time.  You have to be a sponge to take it all in, and take it with you to your next movie, which for me is Marine 4.  Coming into Marine 4, I really set out to make something special.  To really hone in not only on the action, but the acting as well.  I wanted every moment to live at that particular moment. Hopefully, people will really enjoy the time we spent doing it.

Summer Rae: For me, I was so honored to get the opportunity.  Since there hadn’t been any Divas that had done films yet, that kind of took me aback.  I really just wanted to perform and show that I knew how to hold a gun and look like a sniper because that’s what they wanted me to be for the movie.  So we had a lot of training before we started.  Mike had a lot of previous experience, and that helped him bring that calming effect to the set, almost like confidence.  Any questions I had no matter how silly or stupid they were I was able to ask him.  The great thing was our set was like a family.  We had the most amazing actors and actresses on set.  The actors would always ask if I had questions and they would bounce ideas off each other, it was a real family situation.  On the last day of filming, after 20 days, none of us wanted to leave.

The Miz: It’s great that you talk about that, because I actually did “The Campaign” with Will Ferrell and Zack Galafanankis.  In one of the scenes, it was a 15 hour day and just watching the way Will presented himself on set, how nice, how courteous, he was amazing.  He spoke to every single person, knew everyone’s name, and was just the most amazing person.  I wanted to be like that on set.  I want to be that guy; he was a true star and a great person.  When I came to Marine 3, I said to myself that I was going to set the tone.  Everyone is going to look to me to be there early, or be there late.  If I’m going to be late, then everyone is going to be late.  If I show up early then everyone thinks they have to step up their game and one up everyone.  That is what I tried to bring to set.    

Brandon Galvin: This question is for both Miz and Summer. What was it like to film the Marine 4 together, was it comforting knowing there was somebody else from WWE there during filming?

Summer Rae: Kind of but we weren’t really on set a lot together.  I played one of the mercenaries so I was one of the bad guys and he was the good guy.  It was interesting in that dynamic especially while watching the movie.  I didn’t see a lot of the scenes till three weeks ago when we first saw the movie.  I hadn’t seen any clips till it came out at our screening five days before WrestleMania.  I would see him in passing and it was good because I could text him or call him or ask him what to do.  Also I didn’t have to latch on to him because I had my own set of friends.  I told him that I had my own group of friends on set and they think I am hilarious.

The Miz: So she was surrounded by a bunch of dudes.  She comes up to me and tells me, “Mike, I was so funny today.”  So I asked her how many girls were there, and she said none.  I asked how many guys were there, well they all were.  So I asked if she really thought she was that funny or was it because she was a pretty blonde girl.

Summer Rae: I was on fire; you have no idea what I was saying.  It’s actually funny too because we both became friends with all the stunt people that worked there.  It was almost very similar to wrestling.  To be a stunt person you kind of have to have a screw loose like you do in wrestling.  It was interesting how we kind of gravitated to those people.

Donald Wood: On Monday’s episode of Raw, you defeated Damien Sandow to keep The Miz brand. What does the victory mean for you as an actor retaining your name and what do you think comes next for Sandow?

The Miz: I don’t think anyone realizes how valuable the Miz brand is.  I have had it over 15 years now, over a decade.  I have developed it, and now my stunt double/personal assistant that I brought up and made him relevant.  Damian Sandow was fired twice from this company and he was on his way out again, and I came in and gave him relevance.  I gave him a championship and everything.  Then of course, the WWE Universe has to tell him that he is better than the Miz, you should go out on your own, and you can do it.  Then what happened?  I went out there and proved them all wrong like I always do.  It’s up to Damian Sandow what happens next.  I can’t do anything more for him because he left and made his decision.  It’s up to him if he is going to succeed or fail.

Summer Rae: Damian Sandow should know better than to fall for a silly girl.  That never works out.

The Miz: Basically, I had that plan all along and he fell for the con.

Summer Rae: What can I say, the bait was there.

Mike Chiari: In your win over Damien Sandow on Raw you received a little helping hand from your Marine 4: Moving Target co-star Summer Rae. Even though you're just coming off a partnership of sorts with Sandow could we see an alliance between yourself and Summer moving forward? Do you think that would be beneficial to you?

The Miz: You never know what’s going to happen in the WWE and that’s the best part of being a WWE Superstar.  You get there on Monday for Raw or Thursday for Smackdown and who knows what’s going to happen, its live TV so you never really know.

Summer Rae: You never really know so we will see.

The Miz: She obviously would love to be around me.

Summer Rae: Hey I tell you, they hate me, they hate you, and we might as well join forces.

Brandon Galvin: In WWE, you both get to play extensions of yourselves. Then heading into Marine 4 you get to play a different role.  What is it like to have to film a movie and playing such a different role than what you play in the WWE?

The Miz: We play extensions of ourselves, huh?  Really?

Summer Rae: The most successful people do play extensions of themselves in the ring.

The Miz: If you ask any actor out there about the characters the play, they are kind of extensions of themselves.  They have to find what’s true to them and how to make people believe in their characters.  That is what you do when acting on a set.  You find how you can relate to this character and how you can become who he is so everything that character feels is you.

Summer Rae: For me, because of WWE programming, it’s easier for me to slip into someone that I’m not or someone that I always wanted to be and just haven’t had the guts to.  So this super, horrible mean person, I personally don’t think it’s who I am outside of the ring, but maybe it’s someone I have always wanted to be and I just snapped.  It kind of gives you the courage that once I step through the curtain, I can be that person that pie faces all the girls.

The Miz: Who’s to say I’m not a Hollywood star?  I’ve filmed three movies; about to go film another movie, I’m the biggest star the WWE has ever seen.  I’m more critically acclaimed in acting than the Rock is.  He just makes more money right now.  People don’t understand, they just don’t get me.  I’m still here, working a 300 day schedule with the WWE, so I don’t have time to go film a Furious 7 or a Hercules.  Those are fantastic movies; he does great jobs in them.  I do movies that are 20 days long, that are a grind and you really have to hone in on your acting abilities to make them a success.  That is exactly what I did with “the Marine 4: Moving Target.”

Donald Wood: With your acting career really taking off and you mentioning on our show before an interest in becoming World Champion once again, do you fear one goal will begin overtaking the other, and if it came down to it, would you rather be a big-time movie star or World Champion again?

The Miz: It’s a difficult time, because I have done the main event of WrestleMania and retained the WWE championship.  Do I want to do it again?  Absolutely.  I wouldn’t be in the WWE if I didn’t want the ultimate goal and that is for a Superstar to be in that main event.  Obviously though doing these movies you want to be the biggest star you can be.  In a sense, if I go do movies, I would always come back to WWE.  Its home to me and it’s what I have always wanted to do since I was a kid.

Mike Chiari: WWE recently announced the return of Tough Enough, which is a show that obviously really helped launch your wrestling career. There's been a lot of speculation lately about who might host the show. If you were approached by WWE and asked to do it is that something you'd be interested in? Do you think you'd be a good fit?

The Miz: Of course it would be a good fit.  I am the most successful Tough Enough contestant ever.  I am the only contestant ever to win the WWE championship and main event WrestleMania.  So to be asked to host would be a huge honor.  Plus, it’s such a great opportunity for anyone in the world that has ever had the dream of being a WWE Superstar.  When I was coming into the business, I was in the independent wrestling scene and trying to think of a way to make it here, and Tough Enough gave me that opportunity.  I didn’t win Tough Enough.  I worked hard enough to show the WWE execs that I wanted it bad enough that they gave me that opportunity and gave me that contract.  This is an opportunity of a lifetime for anyone that has that dream, that is ready to sacrifice and do what they have to do to become a star.  Would I host it?  Absolutely.  I would love to be a part of that show that made me and that allowed me to be here today.

Brandon Galvin: How do you guys feel filming the Marine 4 is going to help you moving forward in the WWE?

Summer Rae: I think that being able to do a WWE Studios film gives you confidence to say that I was able to go out there and accomplish something.  To be a WWE Diva was my main goal.  I guess it was kind of silly of me to not dream big enough or pass that.  I was just telling Mike that I never thought I would have the chance to be in a movie, a movie, that’s insane.  Being able to be humbled by this and I think in this company you should feel like you are the best and there is no one better than you.  You also need to be humble and stay hungry though.  Being away for 20 days, it gives you that perspective so that when you come back to WWE you’re ready to do it.

The Miz: I love going to do movies because it shows the more talent I have I guess you could say.  Not to sound arrogant or egotistical, but that’s what you want to do.  When you are an entertainer, you want to display every single talent you have.  Whether it’s hosting a show, or being a WWE Superstar, or being in a movie, or doing interviews, you want to be the best you possibly can be.  That’s why we call ourselves sports entertainers now instead of wrestlers, because we’re not just wrestlers anymore.  We are a little bit of everything.  We are some of the most talented people, not to toot my own horn, all the other people are very talented as well at what we do.  I think it’s just another opportunity to display or talent and earn the respect that the WWE Superstars really deserve.