There are talks Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, is likely to earn his first Oscar nomination for portraying former wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine.
The A24 film may not be released until October 3, but it has already received glowing reviews—thanks in large part to Johnson’s incredible performance—and even garnered a hair-raising 15-minute standing ovation during its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Given that the festival has previously launched recent Best Actor Oscar winners, such as Brendan Fraser for Darren Aronofsky’s 2022 film The Whale and Brady Corbet’s 2024 The Brutalist, could Johnson be next in line?
What Did the Critics Say About Dwayne Johnson’s Performance in The Smashing Machine?
Fans are about to see a very different side of Johnson in The Smashing Machine, following his recent roles in big-budget action movies and comedies, including Fast & Furious and Jumanji.
He even lost a staggering 27 kilograms to fully embody the highs and lows of Kerr, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion.
Critics are already praising the WWE star’s performance as his career best. In fact, the film currently holds an 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Discussing Film’s Yasmine Kandil called Johnson’s acting chops “spectacular.”
“The Smashing Machine is more than just another sports biopic, examining what makes or breaks us as humans through a spectacular lead performance from Dwayne Johnson,” she said.
“This is the most raw and vulnerable that Johnson has ever been on screen. Once you’ve seen him this exposed, you won’t watch his typical action movie stunts in quite the same way ever again,” Independent UK’s Geoffrey Macnab added.
“It may have some serious screenplay hiccups when it comes to characterization, but it’s a stirring, invigorating story about overcoming personal demons, with a career-best performance from Dwayne Johnson at its center,” Next Best Picture’s Cody Dericks claimed.
So while critics note a few narrative flaws, the positive reviews just show that Johnson’s transformative performance makes him a great contender for 2026 Oscars.
What Did Dwayne Johnson Say About The Smashing Machine?
After feeling “pigeon-holed” for appearing only in blockbuster movies, Johnson was eager to take on the role of Kerr in The Smashing Machine.
While promoting the film at the Venice Film Festival, the 53-year-old actor revealed that he now wanted to “live my dreams” after “living other people’s dreams.”
“I've been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity to do this,” he said (via BBC). “I have wanted this for a long time.”
Also known as the Smashing Machine himself, Kerr also struggled with addiction to painkillers and opioids.
Now, his life story is set to be brought to the big screen, with Johnson in the lead, alongside Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s then-wife, Dawn Staples.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to source for film, TV, and celebrity news!