For extra Austin 3:16 effect, he adds: 'Watch your back and keep your mouth shut while you learn as much as you can.'

That learning curve is a steep one for the Texas Rattlesnake, the latest to make the transition from the ring to starring in his own movie, The Condemned.

The latter is an action flick where he plays a death-row prisoner competing for survival on an island with nine other killers whom he must terminate to stay alive.

Austin had previously appeared in a lesser, nastier role as a redneck guard in Adam Sandler's prison comedy, The Longest Yard, two years ago.

The Texan played football in college and worked on a loading dock among other odd jobs before becoming a wrestler in the late 1980s.

In a phone interview from Los Angeles, he explains the fine differences between ring fighting and movie fighting:

'It's a lot different because I've been wrestling for over 15 years, so it's second nature to me. In the ring, it's all ad-libbed. I make things up as I go along. On film, the fight scenes were choreographed. I had to learn a new fight style. So it was difficult at first.'

Here is the thing. 'Austin 3:16', 'Texas Rattlesnake' and 'superstar' are part of the wrestling lexicon to the hordes of fans of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) who know Austin, better known as Stone Cold Steve Austin - the most popular and funniest who-gives-a-damn bada** anti-hero to have graced the squared circle.

Thrice married, now single, he was charged with domestic abuse of his third wife, Debra Marshall, a former wrestler, in 2002 and was reportedly given a year's probation, a fine and community service.

So grace is clearly an inappropriate word for a guy who holds the distinction of having bashed the entire family of his employers, staged of course, in the ring. The latest of which was the shaving of WWE supremo Vince McMahon's head at Wrestlemania 23 in April.

'I'll tell you something,' he jokes. 'I was right there up close and personal. Mr McMahon has a very funny-shaped head.'

Talking to him, that renegade persona completely disappears to be replaced by somebody who sounds like a friendly career counsellor contemplating even more drastic transformation.

'I'd love to do comedy and drama too because the guy you see as Stone Cold Steve Austin and the guy that I normally am 24/7 are two different people,' he reveals.

'Stone Cold is a character I got to create but me, I just like to laugh as much as possible and clown around.'

At 42, having retired from the ring in 2003 due to injuries, these days the man is no longer beating up people so much as being upbeat about his post-wrestling career.

'I didn't want to be in the movies while I was wrestling, but you know what, acting is what I want to do now.'

He adds: 'When I look back, I don't sit here and say, oh man, I miss the wrestling business. I mean they'll bring me back for the odd deal, but I look back with fond memories of the great time I had.

'The adrenalin is not the same,' he goes on. 'But the satisfaction of doing your best in a scene on a set is.'

Pointedly, The Condemned is not Oscar-bound but all the same, Austin reveals he has an acting coach to help him move new muscles.

Could that diligence be due to the discipline, or desperation, of the ex-wrestler who needs to find new employment before becoming a lumpen mass of a has-been?

'I think it's entirely up to each individual,' Austin reasons, 'and what he brings and what he does. In my case, growing up with a sports background, I just think my desire to be as good as I can be is what always fuels me.'

But being in that business, it helps when you can incur the wrath of the boss with run-ins, arguments and no-shows which the man is notorious for and still get a reported three-picture deal with the company. For a person who used to clash quite a few times with the WWE, the man is positively agreeable to the sleeping arrangement.

'It's all about maintaining the relationship,' he explains.

'Wrestling is a funny business. Sometimes people get their feelings hurt and sometimes there's bad blood. But by and large, the WWE always supports its former employees.'

It is a support that Austin hopes will enable him to emulate the careers of tough-guy actors like Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Schwarzenegger, who has appeared at WWE matches before, is now the governor of California.

'I can cut you off right there,' the Rattlesnake interjects. 'I have zero political aspirations,' he says with a laugh.

Apparently, there won't be any Governor Stone Cold.

stlife@sph.com.sg

The Condemned is playing in cinemas.