Dwayne Johnson has conquered the box office with over $6 billion worldwide, but his latest role in A24’s “The Smashing Machine” may be the most transformative of his career. At a screening in Los Angeles, Johnson joined MMA legend Mark Kerr, director Benny Safdie, and co-star Emily Blunt to reflect on a film that has already sparked major Oscar buzz.
Johnson takes on the bruised and complicated life of Mark Kerr, a fierce competitor in the MMA world who also struggled with personal demons. For Johnson, the role was a chance to push himself far beyond his blockbuster action persona. “I had been waiting for something like this [my whole career]… to really go for it and rip it open,” he told the audience.
Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn, praised Johnson’s complete immersion into the role. “It was such a dream to do it with my best buddy… and watch him completely disappear. It was one of the more moving experiences of my career.”
Director Benny Safdie explained that what captivated him about Kerr was his contradictions: brutal in the ring yet fragile and flawed outside of it. Safdie said Johnson’s desire to tell this story revealed a lot about the actor’s willingness to explore vulnerability.
For Kerr himself, watching Johnson embody his life was jarring and emotional. “It was my reflection… I was speechless. Him and I cried so much afterward,” he admitted, describing the film as unexpectedly therapeutic.
Johnson emphasized that The Smashing Machine is about more than just sports. “The movie is a love letter to the men and women out there who get knocked down and are just trying,” he said. He connected Kerr’s journey to a universal struggle — giving everything, losing it all, and still finding a way forward.
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Critics are already calling Johnson’s performance a career-defining moment, with Gold Derby predicting him as a leading contender for Best Actor at the Oscars. If nominated, it would mark his first Academy Award recognition.
For Safdie, the film was never about glory but survival and resilience. As Kerr nodded in agreement during the discussion, Johnson summed up the project: “The fact that [Kerr] is still here, living proof that you can lose it all and still be OK — that was the motivation to make this film.”
The Smashing Machine will be released in theaters by A24 on October 3, 2025.
