There is a real chance Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is in Oscar contention for his role in A24's Mark Kerr biopic, The Smashing Machine. However, it's a risk he had not taken previously.
In a new story from Vanity Fair, Johnson reveals that the lead-up to making The Smashing Machine was nerve-wracking. It was unfamiliar territory, given Johnson's past work. Still, it was a risk worth taking.
“It was very real. I had not experienced that in a very, very, very long time, where I was really scared and thinking, I don't know if I can do this. Can I do this?” The Rock said of making The Smashing Machine. “I realized that maybe these opportunities weren't coming my way because I was too scared to explore this stuff.”
Playing Mark Kerr has opened a world of opportunity for Johnson. He was always searching for a role like this, and now he's got it.
“I was so hungry for an opportunity to do something raw and gritty and rip myself open,” he told Vanity Fair. “And all of a sudden, Smashing Machine comes along.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's latest movie, The Smashing Machine
The Smashing Machine is getting ready for its world premiere at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025.
Benny Safdie wrote and directed the biopic. He is known for directing Good Time and Uncut Gems with his brother, Josh Safdie. They are currently working on separate projects. Josh directed Marty Supreme, which A24 will release on Christmas. Benny has acted in projects like Oppenheimer and Happy Gilmore 2.
Johnson stars as Kerr in The Smashing Machine. He will reunite with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr's former wife, Dawn Staples. Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk, and Lyndsey Gavin also star in it.
A24 will release The Smashing Machine on October 3, 2025, after its world premiere. It will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as well before its theatrical release.
Johnson gained fame for being a WWE wrestler. His acting career took off in the early 2000s, but he continued wrestling until 2004. He has had sporadic feuds in WWE since 2011, including those against John Cena and Cody Rhodes. The last time he was seen in a WWE ring was at Elimination Chamber on March 1, 2025. He was part of Cena's long-awaited heel turn.
