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Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, reuniting after their Disney adventure "Jungle Cruise," recently premiered their biographical film "The Smashing Machine" at the Venice Film Festival. Following the screening, the audience erupted into a passionate 15-minute standing ovation, moving Johnson to tears. His emotional reaction stems from the film being a deeply personal passion project, a type of role he had long yearned to pursue but hadn't had the opportunity to tackle before.
Directed by Benny Safdie, co-director of "Uncut Gems," "The Smashing Machine" is a biographical drama based on the true story of two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Kerr. This project marks a significant departure from Johnson's usual commercial blockbusters. At the Venice Film Festival press conference, Johnson admitted that this type of dramatic film was something he hadn't had the opportunity to tackle before. He stated, "I've wanted to make this for a long time. The three of us (Blunt, Safdie) have talked about it for ages."
Johnson continued, "It's no secret that everything in Hollywood today revolves around box office. You chase it, and the reverberations from that box office success can define you, pigeonhole you into a corner. This is the path you take, this is your job, and it's the job Hollywood wants you to do."
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Johnson acknowledged that while his past commercial films have had varying degrees of success, he generally enjoys making them. However, he also expressed a strong desire to explore new territory. He shared, "There was a burning desire in me, as if saying, 'What if there's more I can do?' Often, when we're confined to a certain lane, it's hard for us—or at least for me—to know what we're truly capable of. Sometimes, it takes people like Emily and Benny, people you love and respect, to show you what's possible."
Johnson further elaborated, "A few years ago, I started thinking, 'Am I living my dream, or someone else's?' When you realize that, I think you can either choose to go with the flow and say, 'Well, status quo, everything's good, I don't want to disrupt the balance.' Or, 'I want to live my dream now, do what I want to do, dig into what I want to dig into, and ultimately find a platform to articulate everything I've experienced in the past, things I've always avoided.' It wasn't until now, until I seized this opportunity, that I dared to delve deeply into emotionally rich and raw performances."