Dwayne Johnson has revealed that starring as UFC champion Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s biopic The Smashing Machine gave him what he wanted: a challenging dramatic role.
At a press conference alongside Safdie and co-star Emily Blunt, Johnson reflected on why he wanted to push beyond the action roles that have defined his career. According to Johnson, this movie is something he’s wanted for a long time.
“The three of us have talked for a very long time about, when you’re in Hollywood, as we all know, it had become about box office,” said Johnson. “And you chase the box office, and the box office can be very loud and it can become very resounding and it can push you into a category and into a corner. This is your lane and this is what you do and this is what Hollywood wants you to do.”
Johnson has been known for much of his career as an action movie star with roles in Jumanji, Fast & Furious, Black Adam, Red One, and more. While he said he enjoyed making those films, Johnson expressed that he was craving something more.
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“Some were really good and did well, and some not so good,” he said. “I just had this burning desire and voice that was saying, ‘What if there is more and what if I can?’ A lot of times, it’s harder for us, or at least for me, to know what you’re capable of when you’ve been pigeonholed into something. Sometimes it takes people who you love and respect, like Emily and Benny, to say that you can.”
The Smashing Machine explores Kerr’s rise in the UFC, his addiction to painkillers, and his turbulent relationship with girlfriend-turned-wife Dawn Staples, played by Blunt. Johnson wore heavy prosthetics to transform into Kerr, who was present at the press conference.
“Mark’s life has changed our lives and certainly changed my life as well,” Johnson said, asking Kerr to stand for recognition. “As we found with the film, it’s not about the wins or the losses … it’s also a film about what happens when winning becomes the enemy. And I think we can all relate to that pressure.”
The Smashing Machine will be released by A24 in theaters on October 3.
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