“Rainn Wilson is stuck in a hard-rock place.

The supporting-actor Emmy nominee for his role as the aggressive outcast Dwight Schrute on The Office stars as a wannabe drummer getting a second chance at power-ballad glory in the upcoming movie The Rocker.

The title character is Robert Fishman, aka Fish, who is a former heavy-metal drummer “working menial jobs and having nowhere relationships,” Wilson says.

“He got kicked out of his band Vesuvius right before they became as big as Def Leppard or Poison.

“But he’s a dynamite drummer, and he finds a second shot at fame years later by joining his nephew’s high-school garage rock band.”

The band of teenagers is more into angst-ridden emo rock, and their emergency need of a drummer does not make them willing to compromise their sound.

“It’s not really his thing, but he recognizes the talent that the kids have, and he believes in the band,” Wilson says. “But he still tries to teach the kids the Bon Jovi rock lock, which is a very special handshake, and introduce them to Ozzy and AC/DC.”

The comedy, opening in spring, is directed by The Full Monty filmmaker Peter Cantanneo. Wilson, currently at work on the fourth season of The Office, recently wrapped filming The Rocker with scenes in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a kind of mecca for the character.

“He was so ignominiously thrown out of his band that it really scarred him and stunted him,” Wilson says. “It made him resentful. It made him a giant baby. So when he gets a chance to let loose and tour with another band, he immediately thinks he’s Mick Jagger.”

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