What's Inside?
- Dwayne Johnson sheds his action-star image with a raw, vulnerable portrayal of Mark Kerr in 'The Smashing Machine.'
- A 15-minute Venice Film Festival standing ovation leaves Johnson and co-star Emily Blunt in tears, sparking serious Oscar discussions.
- Mark Kerr praises Johnson’s transformation, while Benny Safdie’s direction and Emily Blunt’s performance elevate the film’s emotional depth.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has spent decades as Hollywood’s most bankable action star, but on Monday night in Venice, he showed audiences a completely different side of himself. His new film, The Smashing Machine, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival to a thunderous 15-minute standing ovation, leaving Johnson emotional and sparking serious Oscar buzz. For the first time in years, the man once defined by muscle and charisma revealed vulnerability, and critics say it could change the trajectory of his career forever.
Dwayne Johnson Sobs at Venice Film Festival During 15-Minute Standing Ovation for The Smashing Machine
Inside Venice’s Sala Grande theater, the audience rose to their feet and refused to stop clapping. Dwayne Johnson, standing alongside co-star Emily Blunt and the real Mark Kerr, wiped tears from his eyes while applauding back at the crowd. Variety’s Ramin Setoodeh shared the now-viral clip on X, writing, “Dwayne Johnson weeps during the 15-minute #Venezia2025 standing ovation for ‘The Smashing Machine.’ This was the most emotion we’ve seen on the Lido since Brendan Fraser launched his Oscar campaign here four years ago for ‘The Whale.’”
Dwayne Johnson weeps during the 15-minute #Venezia2025 standing ovation for ‘The Smashing Machine.’ This was the most emotion we’ve since on the Lido since Brendan Fraser launched his Oscar campaign here four years ago for ‘The Whale.’ pic.twitter.com/BzAjB4v6uk
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 1, 2025
Fraser’s tearful Venice moment marked the beginning of his path to an Academy Award, and the parallel hasn’t gone unnoticed. Benny Safdie, making his solo directorial debut, also broke down in the theater. Even Kerr himself, watching his turbulent life play out onscreen, was moved to tears.
Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine Performance Sparks Oscar Buzz
Johnson’s performance as UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr is being hailed as a revelation. Known for films like Jumanji, Fast & Furious, and Black Adam, the actor admitted he felt “scared” stepping into such raw territory.
“I looked around a few years ago and I started to think, you know, am I living my dream or am I living other people’s dreams? I’ve been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity,” he confessed at the press conference (via Complex).
The early praise has been strong. Critics describe his work as “ego-less,” “sincere,” and “a full disappearance into character.” The transformation is not just emotional but physical. Johnson slimmed down and endured hours of prosthetic application each day to resemble Kerr.
Mark Kerr Shared His Honest Thoughts on Dwayne Johnson’s Performance in The Smashing Machine
For Kerr, a man once dubbed “The Smashing Machine” for his dominance in the ring, seeing Johnson embody his triumphs and demons was inherently personal. The film explores his championship run in the UFC but also shows his struggles with substance abuse and the toll fame took on his marriage to Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt.
Earlier this year, Kerr wrote on Instagram:
“I am still in disbelief that this is real. I am so proud of the work DJ put into becoming ‘The Smashing Machine.’ I have so much gratitude, humility and respect for every little detail production uncovered.”
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Johnson responded with equal sincerity: “Love you brotha. Your life changed mine.” That bond between subject and actor was evident at Venice, where Kerr stood beside Johnson as the applause roared.
Dwayne Johnson Revealed the Extreme Length He Went To Prepare for The Smashing Machine Role
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Johnson revealed he spent “three to four hours” in the makeup chair each day applying up to 14 prosthetics. The process was grueling, but he said it helped him disappear fully into the role. “By the time I got to set, I was Mark Kerr and I felt it, from how he walked to how he talked and how he looked at life,” Johnson explained.
The transformation also required him to confront his own fears.
“I realized that maybe these opportunities weren’t coming my way because I was too scared to explore this stuff… I was so hungry for an opportunity to do something raw and gritty and rip myself open. And all of a sudden, ‘Smashing Machine’ comes along.”
Blunt, who has called Johnson her “dear friend,” praised his vulnerability. “It was one of the most extraordinary things watching him disappear completely. It was spooky.”
The Smashing Machine, distributed by A24, hits theaters on October 3.
