Dwayne Johnson is up for his first Golden Globe as Best Actor in a Drama for his real-life portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a movie that brought him a 15-minute standing ovation when it premiered in Venice and has, as he says, “changed my life.” It certainly has changed his career as this superstar of blockbuster franchises and crowd-pleasing hits has decided to mix it up with more challenging projects as well. Johnson joins me for this week’s edition of my Deadline video series Behind the Lens to talk about it and a whole bunch of other movies he shot, is shooting, or preparing to make both as star and producer.
In addition to all the details about his experience making Smashing Machine, he also talks candidly about fan expectations for him, the film’s disappointing initial box office, and the importance of making this story and the responsibility to get it right. He also describes the unique camera work that made it feel so authentic, working with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt in some very intense scenes, and the prosthetics work of Oscar winner Kazu Hiro on which both collaborated.
We also get all the info about the currently shooting third (sorta fourth ) and what he says is the final Jumanji film with the whole cast back for this last go-round. He also teases a reteaming with his Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie in Lizard Music in which he plays a 75-year-old man with a 110-year-old chicken. He is thrilled to discuss his upcoming teaming with Martin Scorsese, and co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Blunt, in what he says is an incredible never-before-told tale of the mob in Hawaii and another real life person, the “Godfather of Hawaii,” who he will be playing. And then there is another film, all about movies themselves, directed by J.J. Abrams, that he is excited to do down the line.
Watch to the end to hear Johnson’s hilarious story about going to the Venice Film Festival for the first time and sharing his insecurity about what might happen if they didn’t get a standing ovation at the end of Smashing Machine. “I asked Emily and Benny if I should be prepared to start one myself,” he says. It wasn’t necessary.
To watch our conversation and go “behind the lens” with Dwayne Johnson, watch the video above. Join me every Monday during Oscar season for a new edition of Behind the Lens and every Wednesday for The Actor’s Side.