Dwayne Johnson says he’s been craving more raw, gritty roles and admits fear helped push him toward a dramatic new project: portraying MMA legend Mark Kerr in the biopic The Smashing Machine.
In a Vanity Fair interview tied to the North American rollout of The Smashing Machine from A24, Johnson explained that stepping into Kerr’s shoes “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?” He افزود that those fears may have kept him from pursuing more vulnerable material, but that the project arrived at the right moment: “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.”
To inhabit Kerr, Johnson underwent an extensive transformation, wearing roughly 13 or 14 prosthetics and spending hours in front of a mirror to capture the fighter’s posture, voice, and gaze. “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,” he said.
The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie and also featuring Emily Blunt, will debut in North America at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, before a wider theatrical release on October 3. A trailer for the film has been released, giving audiences a glimpse of Johnson’s commitment to a raw, immersive portrayal of Kerr’s life inside and outside the octagon.
What to watch for: Johnson’s shift toward more vulnerable, character-driven work marks a notable turn in his career, showcasing his willingness to tackle psychologically demanding roles beyond blockbuster action. Kerr’s story—one of grit, discipline, and personal struggle—offers a chance to explore the man behind the fighter.
Context and outlook: If The Smashing Machine lands with audiences, it could position Johnson as a credible dramatic actor capable of carrying intense, true-to-life biopics, while broadening the spectrum of MMA-related cinema. The film’s TIFF premiere and fall release place it squarely in the conversation for awards-season conversations focused on performance and transformation.
Summary: Dwayne Johnson opened up about confronting fear to pursue a demanding, gritty role in The Smashing Machine, a Kerr biopic that leverages substantial prosthetic work and a strong supporting cast. With a TIFF debut and a fall theatrical rollout, the project could signal a meaningful shift in Johnson’s acting repertoire, highlighting his range and willingness to dive into vulnerable, complex characters.
Positive note: The project underscores Johnson’s ongoing evolution as an actor, offering fans a glimpse of a more nuanced, dramatic side alongside his high-energy action work.