The Rock 'impressed by 'The Wrestler'

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has admitted that he was impressed by the realism of Mickey Rourke's performance in The Wrestler.

The former WWE star, who left the ring five years ago, told Moviefone that the film had perfectly captured the essence of the sport.

"I thought that the movie...was real and memorable," he said. "That world...it's a very visceral, authentic world that [director Darren Aronofsky] created and I can't say enough great things about the movie.

"My uncle actually trained Mickey and he would call me weekly and give me progress reports. [He] was amazed at...his desire to do everything. That takes commitment."

He added that he was "very proud" of Rourke's dedication, saying: "[It's] a tough task to go from just being an actor to becoming not only a professional wrestler, but a professional wrestler who's wrestled for 25 years."