Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may be on his way to Oscar season buzz after an emotional premiere of The Smashing Machine at the Venice Film Festival.
The actor, who stars as former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr, broke down in tears as the audience erupted into cheers, chants, and applause that stretched into a 15-minute standing ovation, one of the longest at this year’s festival.
As the room roared with emotion, Johnson cried openly while director Benny Safdie embraced him and co-star Emily Blunt.
The moment grew even more powerful when Kerr himself, the man whose life inspired the film, stood alongside the cast with tears in his eyes, sharing in the celebration of his story.
Johnson, who is nearly unrecognizable under heavy prosthetics in the role, has called this one of the most challenging and meaningful projects of his career.
Speaking previously to Variety, he explained his draw to the film, saying that Safdie “continues to push the envelope when it comes to stories that are raw and real; characters that are authentic and at times uncomfortable and arresting.”
He added, “I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain.”
The project also marks a first for Safdie, stepping out on his own after years of collaboration with his brother, Josh, on acclaimed indie hits like Uncut Gems and Good Time.
The Smashing Machine also reunites Safdie and Blunt after their shared scene in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and brings Johnson and Blunt back together following their Disney adventure Jungle Cruise.
With Venice delivering such a passionate response, Johnson’s transformation and performance as Kerr may be his most career-defining yet, putting him in the center of early awards season conversation.
