{"id":38545,"date":"2025-09-23T10:41:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T10:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/38545\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T10:41:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T10:41:14","slug":"dwayne-johnson-opens-up-about-emotional-transformation-for-his-role-in-the-smashing-machine-ripped-me-open-in-a-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/38545\/","title":{"rendered":"Dwayne Johnson opens up about emotional transformation for his role in The Smashing Machine: \u2018Ripped me open in a way\u2026\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dwayne \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson<\/a> has built his career on box office hits like Fast & Furious, Jumanji, and Moana. But in Benny Safdie\u2019s The Smashing Machine, Johnson takes a daring leap into drama, portraying UFC champion Mark Kerr, a fighter who grappled with addiction and depression at the height of his success.<\/p>\n

\"Dwayne Dwayne Johnson admitted he found himself overtly nervous for the first time in his career.(Getty Images via AFP) <\/p>\n

The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where Johnson admitted this was the role he had long been chasing. \u201cFor years, I have been dreaming and hoping. I did not just want drama; I wanted something that allowed me to rip myself open,\u201d he was quoted as saying in a CBS report.<\/p>\n

Also Read: The Rock’s 60-pound weight loss leaves fans confused and concerned: ‘My boy is getting older’<\/a><\/p>\n

Dwayne Johnson on his role in The Smashing Machine<\/p>\n

For the first time in his career, Johnson found himself overtly nervous. Johnson recalled that on day one, Benny and Emily Blunt<\/a> asked him if he was scared, and the actor admitted he was. \u201cI am not someone who scares easily, but this was different,\u201d he told CBS.<\/p>\n

To physically transform into Kerr, he endured three hours of prosthetics and makeup daily. But the greater challenge, he said, was emotional. To portray despair, he drew on his own experiences of childhood trauma, including being evicted at 15. \u201cI went back to what it felt like to come home and have nothing. That ripped me open in a way I needed,\u201d he was quoted in the report explaining.<\/p>\n

Dwayne Johnson\u2019s on-screen partnership with Emily Blunt<\/p>\n

Emily Blunt co-stars as Dawn Staples, Kerr\u2019s wife. She and Johnson previously worked together on Jungle Cruise, but this film brought out another side of their collaboration.<\/p>\n

Blunt, according to Variety, described watching Johnson disappear into his role as \u2018spooky\u2019 and praised his vulnerability. Johnson credited her support for pushing him to leap into drama. \u201cEmily encouraged me to put all my past experiences into what I love: acting,\u201d he was quoted as saying in a Variety report.<\/p>\n

Also Read: How Dwayne Johnson turned around flop Red One to his advantage, earned $103 million to become world’s highest-paid actor<\/a><\/p>\n

The Smashing Machine: A film about more than fighting<\/p>\n

Director Benny Safdie, in his first solo feature, focused on Kerr\u2019s emotional core rather than the drama of the sport. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about victory or defeat,\u201d Safdie said. \u201cIt\u2019s on the question, what happens when victory itself becomes the adversary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kerr, getting out of the car at the Venice press conference, received a standing ovation. When Johnson referred to his life story during the screening, he said, \u201cMark\u2019s life changed my life too, obviously. This is about Mark\u2019s struggle, but it\u2019s also about all of us who have felt the weight of success.\u201d<\/p>\n

While The Smashing Machine<\/a> will launch in theaters on October 3 through A24, Johnson has already suggested amplifying his work in this new direction. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a new chapter,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a whole new book. And, I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

FAQsWhat is The Smashing Machine about?<\/p>\n

The film follows UFC champion Mark Kerr\u2019s rise and struggles with addiction, relationships and the pressures of fame.<\/p>\n

Who stars in the film?<\/p>\n

Dwayne Johnson plays Mark Kerr, with Emily Blunt portraying Kerr\u2019s wife, Dawn Staples.<\/p>\n

Who directed the film?<\/p>\n

The movie is directed by Benny Safdie, known for Uncut Gems and Good Time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dwayne \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson has built his career on box office hits like Fast & Furious, Jumanji, and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38546,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[35290,14752,28588,156,35289,111,139,69,28589,4900],"class_list":["post-38545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-benny-safdie","tag-dwayne-johnson","tag-emily-blunt","tag-entertainment","tag-mark-kerr","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-the-smashing-machine","tag-venice-film-festival"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}