Show Notes
The most badass woman of 80's action is here to chat with Kenric and John about how incredible lifestyle that makes us feel like un-adventurous losers, but like in a good way. Cynthia is an amazing person and a kickass martial artist who's put out some incredible action flicks in her day and we are lucky to chat with her!
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https://www.cynthiarothrock.org/
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Cynthia Rothrock Interview
[00:00:00] Kenric: all right, guys, we are back in today on the show. It's super exciting because if you are a martial arts fan, especially I was growing up and I watched so many martial arts films in the eighties and nineties that I think I fried my brain on him.
It was, it was like my favorite genre at the time. And it's still one of my favorite genres. And. This girl revolutionized what being, I mean, I don't know how else to put it, Cynthia, but being a woman in that industry, especially in the eighties and you kicked so much ass over most of those guys that it's just how else to say it.
You just, you revolutionize what happened and Cynthia, Cynthia, Rothrock. Thank you so much for coming on.
Cynthia Rothrock: Oh my pleasure.
Kenric: How's everything going? What's going on in, in Cynthia's world today?
Cynthia Rothrock: Well, things on here in California, starting to open up a little bit from the quarantine. So starting to, uh, wander out a little bit more, but [00:01:00] other than that, I've been just working out of my home and spending a lot of time with my, dogs and yeah.
So,
Kenric: yeah. How's the quarantine going for you? Is it been difficult or now that everything's starting to lift, it's a little easier.
Cynthia Rothrock: Well, it was difficult for me because, you know, you're talking to someone that's home, maybe two weeks at the max, you know, you know, any given period of time. And the first month I was like, this is kind of cool.
Yeah. I can just chill, relax, spend a lot of quality time with the pets, you know, then the second month. And it was like, okay, well, let's say you have to start working out tonight. I got, I have a Peloton. I did that. And then I, I bought like a exercise ball and at TRX, and then, you know, I was just trying to make my home into some kind of workout to naseum and I had time to, redo my website and some of my media and concentrate a little bit on my YouTube channel.
So it's been good, but [00:02:00] now I'm itching to get back out and get out and do some adventure in the outdoors. So I guess that's. Kind of what I miss the most
Kenric: we're up in Seattle and, and you know, when we had the, all the protests it's like you guys did, but now they have a whole section of Seattle blocked off and the cops have been kicked out for the most part.
They weren't really kicked out like, quote unquote, but they're not going in there. You know what I mean?
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, crazy. It's crazy. Yeah. I think of mine said, Hey, I hope everything that's happening up North. Isn't hitting you. And I didn't know what was going on. And I said, what are you talking about? Then they send me that.
And I went, Oh my gosh. You know, I mean, times we're definitely living in some crazy times here.
Kenric: You hold it, correct me if I'm wrong, but seven black belts. Is that right?
Cynthia Rothrock: Yes. That's
Kenric: incredible. What styles do you hold them in?
Cynthia Rothrock: Well, I first, my first style was Tom sudo. that's where I got my first black belt.
Then from there I started studying pylon, Kung Fu, [00:03:00] and then from there I went to Eagle claw come through. And from there I did well shoe that I did TaeKwonDo. And then I did a little bit of Kempo. And then, Shaolin,
Kenric: how old were you when the, when you hit, when the bug hit you for that?
Cynthia Rothrock: Well, I started when I was 13 and, I really didn't know what it was at that time.
You know, my girl, her parents were studying and, they owned a health club and they would come in and on Sunday and clean up all the equipment. And we would just like, you know, play around in the big exercise area that was carpeted and we'd do cartwheels and rolls and, you know, all kind of. Fun stuff.
And then they would start practicing their martial arts. So I saw that and I said, wow, that's unusual. You know, it's a good exercise, but to learn how to defend yourself, using your hands and feet and everything like that. So, because of what they did, they said, well, you know, this is where we train. I told my mom and, she signed me up at the Scranton karate school.
That is
Kenric: awesome. When you started [00:04:00] going though, did you feel like this is something I can do this, this, this is me because. Man seven black belts. I would imagine when you, first time you did a high kick and got everything going that you were just like, I don't want to do anything else.
Cynthia Rothrock: Well now I'll tell you what.
Cause you know, I was young and, it was very hard. There was one woman in the class, but I thought she was a man the whole time. Right? So second class I know nothing. And he pairs, my teacher pairs me up with her to spar and she didn't like it because she liked being the only one. Only girl in the class.
Right. She kicked me in the head with a roundhouse kick, almost knocked me out. I didn't know how to block or anything. And I was like, Oh, this kind of sucks. And then I was like, I can't punch, you know? And all these guys are shouting and, on my third class, I learned how to do the front kick and.
Someone came up with a board and they said, here, break this board with the front kick. And I didn't have a perfected. I, now my toes pulled back and I broke my toe and I was like, Oh my gosh, I got hit in the head, broke my [00:05:00] toe. Then what do you men all around me. And I can't shout and I can't punch and turn and I wanted to quit.
And my mom said, you know, I signed you up for four months. There's no way you're quitting. And then during that time, my instructor gave a talk about, you know, how quitters are losers and if you're not any good, it's because you don't practice. And you know, if, if you're mentally saying you hate it, you have a bad attitude.
And. you know, from that day on, I thought he was talking to me. So I said, you know what? It's true. I don't practice. So let me start practicing this. And then I was like, I love pushups. I love pushups. I love pushups. You know, I was trying to change my mind about it. And once I did that, you know what, Hey, all of a sudden I got that move and Hey, I can block these kicks and, then, then I said, you know, I really like it and I didn't fight this woman until I was a red belt again.
And let's just say payback was sweet.
Kenric: I love it. You were undefeated middleweight, kickboxing [00:06:00] weapons. Lady champion for five consecutive years. That is incredible.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah. Well, what that was is I, I, when I first started competing, right, actually I was an orange belt. I was only studying five and a half months.
And at that time they just had women all ranks. It didn't matter if you were studying 30 years or like three days, you were all in the same division. Okay. And I took second place and a black girl took first black girl took third, and I thought, you know what? I'm really going to practice. Cause I'm going to be the best in this field by already only train this much.
It could be black though. It's, you know, I could be really good. So I started training with the vengeance and then, I was winning all the tournaments, in the five regions, which was North, like the East coast of, United States. And then I said, you know, I'm going to try competing in it. A rated tournament.
So I went to, it was in New Jersey. I took first and everybody's like, who is this person that beat the number one person? We don't even know who she is. So I started competing and, I had a goal that I wanted it to [00:07:00] be undefeated for five consecutive years. And then I would retire from competition. And at time when people say, Oh yeah, you're five time undefeated world champion.
Well, yes, but I was competing 30 times a year. So 30 times five, right. So I could say really as undefeated, 150 times champion, which sounds weird and it's very fair to say it's true. And you know, I want it. To this goal is so bad that I went and I studied in Hong Kong. I went to China back then. I mean, it was really hard for Americans to get in a bad case.
I studied there for eight weeks. I went to Taiwan and studied. I mean, everything I did was martial arts. You know, if I, I was a. Teaching training with my students. You know, if I was trapping, I was going to a martial arts school to work out, you know, I just focused on that. And then on my fifth year, on my fourth year, actually I got an offer to do a movie and I was going back and forth from Hong Kong because I was like, [00:08:00] I can't not get my goal.
So they would go, okay, we'll fly you back. And then I compete and then I'd fly right back beyond the set. But, I did it. I was not number one. And for the five years, and then I retired and then luckily I started doing movies. The first movie I did was yes, Madam huge success, and then getting offers after that.
So it was a really nice transition going from competitor. And I didn't really want to, retire from competition, but, you know, I was like, it's best to go out. Number one. And I've beaten everybody so many times. And at this point it was so stressful because everybody, I used to do the most hard moves in my routine.
If I just messed up once someone would beat me because everybody was waiting for the day, since the Iraq. Yeah, the, you know, and I also competed in weapons and back then, there were no women in weapons, you know, if there were, it was me and maybe a few other girls, so I had to compete against the men.
So, as the only woman actually to win the whole year, the weapons competition in [00:09:00] men's division.
Kenric: What's your favorite weapon?
Cynthia Rothrock: Double hook sword. Yes, I do Chinese weapons and the double hook swords are a combination of many weapons. It's got like a dagger, it's got a Crescent knife. It's got a hook on the end.
So it's a combination of a couple of weapons, like all built into one. It's kind of like a Willdabeast.
Kenric: Right. I can see it in my mind. I know which one you're talking about. That's that's just kind of crazy. Is there videos of you using that? Cause I'd love to see you actually go into, you
Cynthia Rothrock: know what? I do have some like somewhere, I haven't found any from competition.
I found myself doing a, a broad sword and competition. It's on YouTube, but I have some videos where I'm just messing around with the hook swords, but I, I haven't, I wish I had competition doing the hooks or as you can, if you YouTube it, you can find me in competition doing empty hand form and the broad sword.
That's all I believe. I see so hot.
Kenric: I'm going to check that out. Cause that sounds amazing. Is there a part of you that kind of wishes that [00:10:00] MMA, like you were doing what you were doing then now, and to be a part of that the MMA pushed like with Rhonda Rousey and all those girls that. You know, they've kind of elevated that whole sports.
I mean, for that while their Rousey was MMA, she was the biggest
Cynthia Rothrock: star.
Kenric: You kind of paved that way in a lot of ways, because you showed women can really kick a lot of butt right now and, you know,
Cynthia Rothrock: Right. Absolutely. Because the same that Rhonda opened up doors for MMA, for women. It's just for me and film, because that was doing films.
It was very hard. Like it was like no women don't sell. Actually I was the first woman on the cover of karate illustrated magazine editor had a fight for me because there was women in minority. So it was crazy illustrated women and minorities don't sell. And actually I was recently on the cover of flat belts and I think that, Rhonda Rousey was on the cover in 1992.
I was on the cover in the eighties, but since 92, till the time I was on, I don't think there was another woman. Wow.
Kenric: That's crazy. [00:11:00] Yeah, that's crazy. And then you have Sonia blade from mortal combat when a Johnny's favorite games and you're the inspiration for Sonia blade.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, actually, you know, when I knew the guy that was doing that and they approached me and you know, at that time, my agent was like, yeah, Cynthia gets a lot of money now because I was very, you know, I was one of the top box office, draws for action movies.
So he didn't want to pay, he didn't want to pay me, you know, my fee. So what they went and did is they took my likeness, they took my kick, you know, and they just said, Oh, it's so new blade. It's not,
Kenric: yeah. That's kind of lame
Cynthia Rothrock: come up and say, Oh, so when you play, can I have your autograph and this and that.
But they did. They, they copied my likeness and I guess you probably could have sued or something like that, but, you know, I'm not that kind of person. I'm like, well, whatever, you know.
Kenric: Yeah. But that's kind of lame. I mean, I, to me,
Cynthia Rothrock: I mean, if they would've said it was me, then, you know, he should've put me in the movies, you know, I think, yeah.
I don't know. And then he was like using [00:12:00] some excuse, you know, I
Kenric: don't want,
Cynthia Rothrock: yeah, absolutely.
Kenric: So you had, you've had some, some schools in Los Gatos. Are you still teaching today or. How have you decided to focus on other things?
Cynthia Rothrock: I pan a lot of schools. I had two schools in Pennsylvania, then I moved to California, opened up the school in Los Gatos.
And when I went to Hong Kong to do movies, then, I realized I couldn't teach. And I also had a contract at that time to do a movie with Sylvester Stallone called the executioners. So I was going to leave lo SCOTUS and moved down, down to Los Angeles. What was that? I've forgotten now.
Kenric: I was just curious if you're, if you're still teaching.
Cynthia Rothrock: Right. So, so I didn't have the schools then, and. I started teaching at one of the schools and, you know, because I traveled so much and I was doing so many films. If you're going to have a martial arts school, you have to be there [00:13:00] every day, you know? And I just, I couldn't do that. So now when I teach, I teach some private lessons, I do some virtual private lessons on my, Website.
and so I teach seminars like all around the world. So that's what, you know, if I'm not teaching a seminar or shooting a movie, then I'm out like exploring and doing extreme adventure. So they're the three main things I do in my life today.
Kenric: What kind of extreme adventures do you do?
Cynthia Rothrock: Oh, I've, I, I tracked it Everest base camp.
I did Picchu the Inca trail. I did the, w track Patagonia. I did, expedition trip in Antarctica, climbed up Jabber peak, which was intense. Nearing. So I think when I stopped, competing and doing like, you know, realizing that martial arts were, was my only focus. I was like, Oh, I could go skiing now.
Or, Oh, now I could go whitewater rafting where before I never would do anything like that, because I think, Oh, it's going to hurt. I don't want to do anything to hurt my body. You know? [00:14:00] Top two, that would stop me from competition. But then I started doing that. And I think because I liked the adrenaline rush, like, you know, I just came back from New Zealand and I, I bungee jumped for the first time off.
The Auckland bridge did, skydiving 20,000 feet, which is illegal in the United States. You can only go 16,000. So you had it. The gin, you know, I, I whitewater raft down the, the biggest waterfall that any commercial company could go. And of course we tipped because that was my fear is like tipping and getting like, you know, like, the raft down that was, but, I like it that, I think that's my new way of like challenging myself and, that, so I, I actually, was supposed to.
Go and do an adventure trip, in, Scandinavia quarantine happen. So I have put it off for next year. So, yeah. So I guess I, I had also, I was going to hike the grand Canyon from rim to rim. I do, I like to do a lot of backpacking and lot of, like I climbed up to Fitzroy, you know, [00:15:00] I just, I like to do things that are out of the normal.
Kenric: Is it hard for you to find a significant other that can keep up with your, your drive?
Cynthia Rothrock: Yes.
Kenric: Cause like you're saying I'm exhausted listening to everything you like to do. I'm like, Oh my God. I would be just, I would not be able to keep up with you. Okay. Well,
Cynthia Rothrock: I have a lot of friends too. So what I end up doing is I don't go do these by myself, but I ended up, I ended up doing, Like trips with REI or active adventures, you know, where you're you're by yourself, but there's other people like the other extreme adventure is doing it.
Kenric: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's I, yeah, that was like listening. I was like, that's so much stuff that I don't know that I would even begin to compete on a level. Cause like I, you know, I'm like we have Mount Sinai out here in Seattle, which is in this town called Issaquah and it's a, it's a popular hiking. But, you know, you get like, it takes you about six hours to get to the top.
You know, I give up three hours in. I have to [00:16:00] think. Do I want to go back? Do I really want to go to the top?
Cynthia Rothrock: I think the Everest base camp is the hardest thing I've ever done. I don't think I could do anything harder than that.
Kenric: That was like,
Cynthia Rothrock: All up Hill. I haven't done that. I would like to, and I haven't done here too.
So yeah, I definitely, I definitely would like to, I think right now I'm looking, because I think travel outside the United States, isn't going to be too easy, like for the rest of this year. So I'm looking into Oregon traveling, hiking up Mount hood. So seeing,
Kenric: you know, pike and you should look at Mount Rainier because that is a training ground for Everest, for a lot of people.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, well, you know, when I did, I didn't train at all, I just did it. And, but it wasn't so much even being in fit. It was the altitude everywhere you went, that altitude kills. And I'm telling you, man, you know, when you, when I hit anywhere, when I hit, 17,000 feet, that gets me.
Kenric: Yeah, I bet. I bet. I bet. So I gotta ask, because I think this is so interesting.
[00:17:00] In between yes, Madam and the millionaires express, you tore your ACL, but you kept filming. And the doctors were like, they didn't know how you did it. And it's really just because of your muscles around ACL were so strong that you're like, I'm good to go. And they wanted you to quit. You wanted you to do surgery.
You got to, can you tell us the story?
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah. And actually I still haven't got it fixed and I'm still doing all this. I've never, I've never done crazy where I haven't. yeah, what happened is, I finished, yes, Madam, and then they said, okay, you can go home for a couple of weeks. At that time, I had a martial arts.
School. So I was training with my students and I did a jumping hook kick. And when I landed, my knee gave out and then that's when it, it kind of, it went like that and I went, Oh my God. You know? So I went and they said, yeah, you told your ACL. So, I, I, there's nothing I could do. I had a movie to do so I go there and we were shooting millionaires express, and, Richard Norton.
I meet him for the first time. I [00:18:00] good friend and he had a. Accident with his leg in the Philippines where it blew up and he had to get a drained and he couldn't walk on it. And I'm like, Oh my God, I can't, I can't kick with my right leg, you know? And he's like, I can't kick up my legs. So we're like, Oh, this is great.
So I just did everything. the thing that was the hardest for me was when I shot righting wrongs, I couldn't even like walk on my knee and I had to do. Do everything left sided and you know, most martial artists favor one side, why I had to do everything on the other side. And when I look back and see those fight scenes going, Oh my God, that hurt.
And then it would get, then it would get a little better. Right. And then I did it magic crystal. If I was doing the spear scene, it blew out on that one. Right. I was like, and you know what? I've just learned to live with it. And. When I went to the doctor's right. Cause you know, he would say, you know, it's going to be about six months recovery while I was doing a lot of movies at that time.
So I was just saying, Hey, I know what I could do and what I can do. And they said, well, we don't understand. People can't even stand. They [00:19:00] said, now your ACL is completely gone. You know, they did an MRI. They said it's not just tour. It's completely gone. they said we want to do a test. So they, they have these little, they settled like these electrodes in my leg, like all like all over Nat hurt.
It was like, imagine getting like threaded, like all over and then they'd say run and walk and go backwards. And then it came back. Why I could do what I could do is because my hamstrings and my quads were so strong. They kept my knee in place. So, even to this day I have like, I have, did the, STEM cell therapy, but you know what, I ski, I, you know, I do these, these like unbelievably hard tracks, you know, and I could do it.
So I know, I know what I could do. So I don't know. Maybe someday I will. I don't know. I don't even think they can fix it now. I think,
Kenric: Oh my God. That's so crazy though. Cause I can't even imagine.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, I
Kenric: can't imagine not being, you know, not having the surgery. And [00:20:00] then it's been how long.
Cynthia Rothrock: I, it's been, 1986. I, since 1986.
Kenric: Oh my God. You are a crazy girl. I cannot believe it.
Cynthia Rothrock: No, I think I've just, I've just learned to live with pay and, you know, I have a high pain tolerance and then every once in a while, when I have heels on, I walk a little funny because for some reason it hurts when I have heels knife, you know, people go, Oh, are you limping?
I was like, no, I just, I just walked funny.
Kenric: Tell me about, and I hope I'll probably butcher his name, so please correct me. Cause that would be, get it right. But you and bow to how you say it, you want to be you. He is like, I feel like people should know who he is, even though they know Jackie Chan, they noticed the jet Lee's they know Bruce Lee, you know what I mean?
But technically is one of the greatest fighters on film. Ever, and I'm hoping you can give us a little back history about who he is and why people should know [00:21:00] who he is.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, well, you know, he, I, a hundred percent agree with you. I mean, I've, I've worked with all these people and he is, his talent was so incredible.
I mean, I remember we were doing writing wrongs and he there's a scene where he does a back flip and lands on a rocking chair. And we did about 10 times. Yeah. He kept like slipping off, but even so like, just to do the flip. Yeah. Never mind landing on the two handles of a rocking chair. Right. And, he, he, to me, he was the best person I ever fought with because our timing was similar.
It was so easy to fight with them. Cause sometimes someone, you know, is a little year, their fluidity isn't the same, their power is. Same, you know, they have a hard time getting movements and we just like clicked all the fight scenes were just awesome. And, I don't know, you know, I heard this story and I don't know how true it is, but, you know, he was married and they were like, well, you know, you can't say you're married because you won't get a lot of fans, especially in Japan.
Like the girls don't like you. [00:22:00] And, and, I don't know. That's what they said, why he wasn't that popular because it's crazy. He is awesome. I mean, I, and I actually like Googled him the other day to see what he's doing. I said how fun that would be like to do a writing wrongs. And when we did writing wrongs, the funny thing is, is that, you know, in the, when we shot it, I ended up dying.
They put us. Steak like through my throat. And then he ends up dying off of an airplane falling down and they showed it in Taiwan and the people went crazy. They were screaming and booing, and then they called us back to reshoot it where I just get stabbed like in the arm and I have a sling on and then up and he's in the water because the people hated that.
So it's funny. So of that movie, there's two versions out there, but yeah, I, I think, you know, a lot of people say. You know, Cynthia, you should have been in name movies. You should have been in the Expendables. You know, you should be at a Marvel. I know. And that's like, you view, you should have been up there, [00:23:00] as like gently and Jackie, Tammy should have been too.
Kenric: Yeah. Yeah. He should've came over and done a few American movies. You know what I mean? That were concentrated. Like they did lethal weapon three for jet Lee. That really works. I think for me it felt like that was jet Lee's coming out party in America.
Cynthia Rothrock: Right. Yeah.
Kenric: And that guy deserves something similar to that because man, you go back and watch some of those movies.
He's incredible. He's incredible.
Cynthia Rothrock: You know, when I grew up, Jackie Chan was like my idol. Like I used to watch these movies and want to practice his moves, but I tell you like, I, I just, I have not seen anyone better than you'd view during that time in fighting.
Kenric: Oh man. So, do you have any, you have a couple of things that are actually coming out, right?
You had, I think you got to just finish and a delay rises.
Cynthia Rothrock: Is that right? No, they haven't shot that one yet. That's supposed to be,
Kenric: has it been done?
Cynthia Rothrock: Oh, they do. Yes. People can put anything on. [00:24:00] I am, they contacted me to do it, but, it's never, I don't know. Probably the most reasons that none of these films don't get done or they take a long time is they don't have all the financing for it.
But now I'm currently shooting a movie called hunters and we have four more days to shoot, but we were stopped because of the quarantine. So as soon as they let production start up again, I'll finish that. And, previous that I have, I have, a Western coming up that, someone wants me to do. And then I actually, I have a lot of projects that, you know, we're slated for this year, but now everything will probably go to 2021.
Kenric: Yeah. Yeah. You did the martial arts kid back in 2015. It's a very inspirational movie. It's great for kids and families to watch. was that an important one for you to do? You've actually got to work with Don, the dragon Wilson, which I always loved his movies.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, it was, you know, actually Don's brother James produced it and he came [00:25:00] up to me and said, you know, I want to do a family movie and you to play a mom.
And I was like, so excited because I was a mom, you know, I had a daughter and I was like, I can relate to that role. I'd love to play that. I've never played it. And, you know, he said, I want to do a children's. So, and then Don was actually kind of against it. He's like, no, no, what work you gotta do? You know, the old blood and Gore guts and bad guys or fight them like, no, I want to do a movie with a message for kids, you know, and me at that time, I don't know.
My daughter was, how old was she? Was, she was a teen young teen, you know, I, you know, I said, yeah, I would love to do that too. And it had such a great message about. bullies, you know, how bad it is to be a bully. And we had, the biggest, anti-bullying, association behind us kicking it. And, it w it was just so, so much fun.
And then once you start doing it, then I was like, Oh yeah, yeah, this is great. This works, you know? but I think because that movie had, so that's a good [00:26:00] message. And we had so many kids, your martial arts schools, watch it. And, you know, we would get messages from little kids saying, thank you. I'm not, I'm not going to tolerate bullies.
You know, I'm gonna tell 'em, I'm not bullies are bad. You know, we had kids say to their dads, can I help you move those chairs? You know? And it kinda taught kids a little, a bit more respect as well. And the good thing about that, you know, a lot of people compared it to the karate kid, but the difference is, is that yeah, same.
Simple premise, you know, the underdog gets beat up and wins, but they became a Greenbelt and everything he learned was true martial arts that any beginner would be able to do. And it was all martial art masters that was teaching him in the film, you know, and it just showed, you know, that, you know, no, you're not going to be a world champion and beat the greatest guy in the world.
But you know, if you learn some self defense, you do know enough to how to protect yourself.
Kenric: Yeah. That's I think that's a [00:27:00] great message. I mean, we did judo
Cynthia Rothrock: when I
Kenric: was a kid and that helped a lot, you know, it gave me confidence and it gave me the ability to know that I didn't have to be scared every time I walked down the hallway.
And it's totally true.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yeah, right. That's definitely, you know, I always say everybody should learn martial arts. Doesn't matter how old you are. You know, you pick a style that's adaptable to your body, you know, and you're getting in shape, but at the same time, you're learning how to defend yourself. And how priceless is that if you're ever in a situation to save yourself or save someone your way.
Kenric: Yeah. So is there a movie that you've been in that kind of stands above the rest for you?
Cynthia Rothrock: well, you know, yes, I think, I'd like the movie sworn to justice because that, that was a different role for me. You know, it was more like, the, the woman was more sexy. She was, you know, wasn't just like, The cop or [00:28:00] the, you know, tomboy next door.
You know, I had to study a lot of, a lot of the scenes because I was psychologist. So I worked with Brad Dora, which was really phenomenal for me is to work in a Academy award winning actor. I still. Trey, a turning point when I did that, as far as my acting goes, like really took a step up because prior to that really, I probably didn't know what I was doing, but, you know, that stands out to me for that.
And also, I, one of the movies that I did really love, it's a quirky little film it's called Santa summer house. And, the director hired all of us, martial artists to be in it. But nobody fights and his motto was something like, even the toughest people enjoy Christmas, you know, Christmas. And it was quirky because I got to play mrs.
Clause. And there's a funny thing out that, because. They sent me the script and they wanted me to play this one part and I couldn't do it. [00:29:00] So I had to turn it down because I had another commitment. Well, then that commitment fell through. So I called them back. And as I was reading the script, I said to my daughter, I said, I'd love to play mrs.
Clause. And my daughter's laughing, going, Oh my God. Right back. And they said, well, we already cast that part, but. We have mrs. Clause. And I went, yeah. And then I think Robert Mitchum was the, was Santa Claus. And I was like, participant does that matter? Cause he's like much older than I am and they, and they go, yeah, what's wrong with Santa having a yacht, a young, hot wife.
And I was like, let me play it like really kind of quirky. So it was fun for me because it was so different, you know, than anything ever that I've ever. That's
Kenric: cool. And that's a lot
Cynthia Rothrock: of fun. Yeah, it was a lot of fun and we shot that movie in three days. That's insane.
Kenric: Yeah. Yeah. So what's your next extreme adventure?
Cynthia Rothrock: hiking, the grand Canyon rim to rim. Yeah. And I'm going to do it, do it in September. And it's like, five days non hiking. [00:30:00] You have to do this. You have to get a doctor's note saying that you're physically fit to do it.
Kenric: Just don't let them look at your ACL.
Cynthia Rothrock: What's funny is. this year I went and, I was it this year or last year, last field then of last year I went, and I got to train with the army at Fort Irwin here in California.
And we got to put on all the gear and go into buildings and learn all these guns. Well, the day before I was going to do it. My dog got out and I saw her outside running and I freaked out. So I ran out, find out what it is. And I see that one of the fence things came down. So I trying to think of the, grab, the dog, you know, running, you get the wire to fix the fence.
And I tripped on the wire and fell and I had to get like, about eight stitches in my knee.
Kenric: Right. Yeah.
Cynthia Rothrock: I go to the emergency room and I said, well, I'm going to train with the army tomorrow. I can't not do that. And he [00:31:00] goes, well, you're going to bus them. And I said, well, then maybe we don't stitch it. He goes, but you know, you'll have an ugly scar.
I was going all right. Well, I have a lot of scars that did anyway. And when I got there, everybody was like, don't tell them, don't tell them that. You know, you got stitches yesterday. And I was like, okay. Cause they, you know, they said they wouldn't like to do it cause you have to sign all these forms. And then when I got done, the guy was like, Oh man, you did so great.
And you know, and I said, yeah. I said, well, I got stitches in my leg yesterday and I showed him, Oh my God. Well, you know, look at this way. If you're out, you know, in Afghanistan and you fall and you get. Stitches in your leg or, you know, you get that cut. Are you going to stop? Are you going to go? And they go, we're going to keep going.
I said, well, that's nice.
Kenric: Well, Cynthia. Thank you so much for coming on today. It's a real pleasure talking with you. I'd love to have you back on when you have, anytime you have anything going on. you're just, you're just a pleasure to talk with.
Cynthia Rothrock: No, thank you. Thanks for having [00:32:00] me on
Kenric: yeah. Any time. I mean, you're. I think you got stories for days.
So
Cynthia Rothrock: we could be here for four days.
Speaking of that, if I could give a shout out to everybody, I have a YouTube channel, you know, that, I'm doing a lot of a Q and a behind the scenes of movies and, ask the fans are asking me questions. So it's, Cynthia Rothrock channel. So it's youtube.com/cynthia rock rock, and also, I'm very, prominent on Facebook.
This book, I really keep in contact with everybody on Facebook, so people can message me there. And also, since I just recreated my whole new website, which is Cynthia rothrock.com, a lot of fun things there. Right
Kenric: now.
Cynthia Rothrock: Yes, I know I did it just all hot off the front.
Kenric: That's awesome. Cool. Well, all right, Cynthia, thank you so much for coming on.
I really do appreciate it.
[00:33:00] Cynthia Rothrock: take care and stay safe.
Kenric: Talk to you soon. Thanks Cynthia.
Cynthia Rothrock: Bye.
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