In the acting industry for nearly two decades, The Smashing Machine star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has finally received his first Golden Globe award nomination. A part of Benny Safdie's recent film, The Smashing Machine, Johnson impressed fans and critics with his performance soon after the release.
While the film failed to create a financial impact, it won the hearts of those who watched it. Johnson now finds himself nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor (Drama) at the Golden Globes in 2026.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the former WWE star addressed his achievement.
“[It means] a few things. One of them is the importance of listening to the little voice that sits behind your rib cage,” he noted. “That at times whispers to you, and at times pounds on your chest to say that you can do more, and there is more, and it can be scary, and it might be scary because it will require you to step out of a comfort zone, and when things are good, you don’t want to step out of that zone, because it’s going good.”
He reflected on Mark Kerr’s journey, noting that Kerr had once “had it all and lost everything,” yet eventually found sobriety. He explained that, beyond the recognition, it symbolizes “the fight in everybody,” especially those battling addiction and personal “demons.”
Dwayne Johnson details his motivation for becoming Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine
Revealing his motivation for becoming a part of the film, the Moana star also explained his own journey in the same interview.
“But there was more: I wanted to really push and challenge myself and chase that challenge. I had something very special to me, which was the story,” he said. “It’s been a long go with The Smashing Machine: seven years ago was when I first met Benny [Safdie] about this. So it’s been over half a decade to get this going, and so it represents believing in and listening to that little voice, and also doing the work, even when it’s scary.”
Johnson admitted the project hit even closer to home when he recently stopped to “take a tally” and realized he had lost around 15 friends over the years to addiction. Some overdosed; others, as he put it, “decided to check out” because life had become too hard. The realization shook him but also grounded him, reinforcing just how important this film is, “It is a love letter to those that I just talked to you about. That’s why this nomination means so much.”
