Dwayne Johnson Embraces Vulnerability in ‘The Smashing Machine’

VENICE, Italy — Dwayne Johnson is stepping into unfamiliar territory with his role in the upcoming film, ‘The Smashing Machine.’ As he prepares for his portrayal of MMA legend Mark Kerr, Johnson admitted to feeling nervous, a sensation he hasn’t experienced in years.

“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?” Johnson said. “I realized that maybe these opportunities weren’t coming my way because I was too scared to explore this stuff.”

Best known for his action roles, Johnson’s transition into more vulnerable performances comes with the encouragement of his co-star, Emily Blunt. “DJ has been pigeonholed into the image of the big hero who’s got all the answers,” Blunt said. “I think until this moment, maybe he thought that was the only lane that people wanted to see him in.”

Johnson has been connected to Kerr’s story since he first saw the 2002 HBO documentary, which details Kerr’s struggles with addiction and personal relationships. Their careers overlapped, allowing Johnson to relate to Kerr’s experiences. “I lost a lot of my friends to addiction and to suicide,” Johnson said. “I connected to Kerr’s hard-earned story of coming out the other side.”

The film project began to take shape after Johnson saw the Safdie brothers’ movie ‘Uncut Gems.’ He reached out to director Benny Safdie about collaborating. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed progress.

“Dwayne felt so deeply about it, it was something I couldn’t shake,” Benny Safdie said. With the support of Blunt, who connected the two, production began to gain momentum.

Filming pushed Johnson to confront parts of himself he had never explored publicly. “You have to be willing to tap into all the stuff that you’ve gone through,” he said. “I found it so scary, but also, so nourishing and freeing. I ripped it open.”

‘The Smashing Machine’ will premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 1 and will be released in U.S. theaters on October 3. Johnson reflects on this role as the beginning of an evolution in his acting career. “The thing I was fearing is the thing that actually gives me the greatest peace,” he said. “I have a place to put it.”