Dwayne Johnson received a 15-minute standing ovation for The Smashing Machine at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, and he broke down in tears as the applause continued while co-star Emily Blunt and director Benny Safdie embraced him. The film was presented in competition on the Lido.
Johnson’s appearance became the talk of Venice. He arrived looking slimmer and older than his usual image, prompting online reactions that described him as “unrecognizable” and joked that “The Pebble” had replaced “The Rock”. At a photocall he wore a short-sleeved blue shirt tucked into white trousers, and on the red carpet he chose a gray double-breasted Prada suit, reported Closer.
The transformation was driven by his dramatic turn as Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion whose career intertwined with addiction and performance pressure. Observers suggested that his internal performance could appeal to the Academy. At 53, he adopted a much leaner silhouette for the role, with reports indicating a loss of over 27 kilograms to approximate Kerr’s build. The new look also stemmed from a high-protein, almost sugar-free diet, strict training, and the use of makeup, a wig, and prosthetics, reported The Daily Beast.
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Directed by Safdie, The Smashing Machine traced Kerr’s rise and personal challenges in the late 1990s while centering on his relationship with Dawn Staples, played by Blunt. “It’s actually a love story between Mark and Dawn and about Mark’s love for wrestling,” he said.
“I had been very fortunate to have the career that I’ve had over the years and to make the films that I’ve made, but there was just a voice inside of me, a little voice that said, ‘Well, what if I could do more — I want to do more and what does that look like?'” said Johnson. “Sometimes you don’t know what you’re capable of doing when you’re typecast,” Johnson explained. “I started to think, am I living my dream or am I living other people’s dreams? You either fall in line, or you say, I want to live my dreams now,” he said.
Venice audiences greeted Johnson with his catchphrase, “Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?!” and he laughed, “Am I a softie? Yes!” he said. The real Mark Kerr attended the festival and posted, “I am still in disbelief that this is real,” adding, “I am so proud of the work DJ put into becoming The Smashing Machine”. Johnson replied in the comments, “Love you brotha. Your life, changed mine”.
As the festival continued, his performance and pivot drew sustained attention on the Lido, and industry insiders whispered about Oscar chances for both Johnson and Blunt.