In a significant departure from his established Hollywood persona, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed that a profound and personal “burning desire” to explore his artistic range compelled him to take on the demanding role in Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine.”
The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, marks Johnson’s first appearance at a major European festival and represents a deliberate pivot towards more nuanced and dramatic storytelling.
The 53-year-old actor, who rose to global fame as a wrestler before becoming one of the world’s highest-grossing action heroes, spoke candidly about the pressures of the industry. He described a system where the sheer volume of box office returns—which he noted “is loud”—can pigeonhole performers, effectively pushing them “into a category and into a corner.” Johnson reflected on his own career, acknowledging, “I understood that, and I made those movies, and I liked them, and they were fun, and some were really good and did well, and some not so.” Yet, beneath the success of franchises like “Fast and Furious,” a persistent internal voice questioned, “Well, what if? What if there is more and what if I can?”
This introspective quest led him to the role of Mark Kerr, a real-life former mixed martial arts pioneer from the early 2000s. On the surface, the part seemed tailor-made for Johnson, leveraging his physicality and wrestling background. However, Kerr is a deeply complex and flawed character, a stark contrast to the invincible heroes Johnson typically portrays.
The film delves into Kerr’s gentle yet troubled nature, his intense battle with addiction, and the explosive, passionate relationship with his ex-wife, Dawn, played by Emily Blunt. Johnson emphasized that the movie is not primarily about fighting but is instead “a love story about Mark and Dawn and his relationship.” At the request of director Benny Safdie, Johnson had to significantly bulk up for the role to accurately reflect Kerr’s formidable physique during his fighting prime.
Johnson credited his co-star and “best friend” Emily Blunt, with whom he previously shared the screen in “Jungle Cruise,” for encouraging him to embrace this new vulnerability. Blunt, in turn, offered high praise for Johnson’s transformative performance, describing the moment he first embodied the character on set as “spooky.” She recalled, “I remember when you walked in as Mark for the first time. It changed the air in the room,” highlighting the depth and authenticity he brought to the role.
The real Mark Kerr, who was also in Venice to promote the film, expressed his overwhelming approval. The 56-year-old former fighter told AFP he found it “almost impossible to describe just the amount of detail and everything that went into it.”
The ultimate testament to Johnson’s portrayal came from Kerr’s own family; his 20-year-old son saw the film and “could not believe” the authenticity of the performance. “The Smashing Machine” is now one of 21 films competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award, the results of which will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony on Saturday.
