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\n Related: <\/span>Dwayne Johnson Is Unrecognizable as MMA Fighter in ‘The Smashing Machine’<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tDwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson has cooked up quite the transformation for his upcoming movie The Smashing Machine.\u00a0 On Tuesday, May 21, the first image from the upcoming A24 film was released, showing Johnson, 52, as MMA fighter Mark Kerr.\u00a0 The actor can be seen sporting Kerr\u2019s distinctive hairstyle while sitting on a chair in the [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Meanwhile, Benny Safdie<\/strong> \u2014\u00a0who wrote and directed the sports drama \u2014\u00a0also shed tears<\/span><\/a>, at one point covering his face amid the epic applause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSeth Rogen<\/strong> attended the screening and snapped pictures from the back of the theater. Per The Hollywood Reporter<\/i><\/span><\/a>, Rogen, 43, was overheard gushing, \u201cThat was awesome!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\nDwayne Johnson weeps during the 15-minute #Venezia2025<\/a> standing ovation for \u2018The Smashing Machine.\u2019 This was the most emotion we\u2019ve since on the Lido since Brendan Fraser launched his Oscar campaign here four years ago for \u2018The Whale.\u2019 pic.twitter.com\/BzAjB4v6uk<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe Smashing Machine<\/i>, an A24 production, will be released in the U.S. on October 3. Blunt, 42, portrays Kerr\u2019s ex-wife, Dawn Staples<\/strong>. (Johnson and Blunt previously costarred in 2021\u2019s Jungle Cruise<\/i>.) Other cast members include pro fighters Ryan Bader<\/strong>, Bas Rutten<\/strong> and Oleksandr Usyk<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\nWith Smashing Machine<\/i>, Safdie makes his solo directorial debut following past collaborations with brother Josh Safdie<\/strong> on films including Uncut Gems<\/i> and Good Time<\/i>. Josh, 41, went behind the camera on his own to helm the upcoming Marty Supreme<\/i>, a table-tennis dramedy featuring Timothee Chalamet<\/strong> and Gwyneth Paltrow<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
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\n Related: <\/span>Happy Birthday, Dwayne \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson! His Biggest Moments<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tDwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson has laid the smackdown on the WWE and Hollywood for nearly 30 years. The 10-time WWE Champion blazed a trail through Hollywood that many of his wrestling contemporaries \u2014 such as John Cena and Dave Bautista \u2014 have followed over the years, all while maintaining his connection to pro wrestling. Thank [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cMark was the greatest fighter in the world at one point, but this film is not even really about fighting \u2014 it\u2019s a love story,\u201d a tearful Johnson said at a press conference in Venice, per THR<\/i><\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s a love story about Mark and Dawn in this relationship, and it\u2019s a love story about Mark and the love that he had for the thing that he did \u2014 his struggle with trying to deliver [in the ring], his challenges and his overcoming. As you know, Mark OD\u2019d twice, and he\u2019s lucky to be alive \u2014 and that\u2019s part of why this story is so special.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nJohnson called Blunt his \u201cbest friend\u201d and said that she helped motivate him to take on the challenge of portraying Kerr, 56, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cFrom the time we worked on Jungle Cruise<\/i> together, she really encouraged and believed in me and said, \u2018You know, there\u2019s a place that you can put all the stuff that you have gone through as a kid,\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cI\u2019ve been very close with Emily and shared a lot of everything that I\u2019ve gone through, and she said, \u2018That place is what you love to do, which is acting \u2014 and you have me \u2014 so let\u2019s do this together.\u2019 And then Benny was on the other side of that, saying, \u2018Hey, I got you both, and let\u2019s go for it.\u2019 So that transformation could not have happened without my best friend being there to support and encourage me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Seth Rogen<\/strong> attended the screening and snapped pictures from the back of the theater. Per The Hollywood Reporter<\/i><\/span><\/a>, Rogen, 43, was overheard gushing, \u201cThat was awesome!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Dwayne Johnson weeps during the 15-minute #Venezia2025<\/a> standing ovation for \u2018The Smashing Machine.\u2019 This was the most emotion we\u2019ve since on the Lido since Brendan Fraser launched his Oscar campaign here four years ago for \u2018The Whale.\u2019 pic.twitter.com\/BzAjB4v6uk<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Smashing Machine<\/i>, an A24 production, will be released in the U.S. on October 3. Blunt, 42, portrays Kerr\u2019s ex-wife, Dawn Staples<\/strong>. (Johnson and Blunt previously costarred in 2021\u2019s Jungle Cruise<\/i>.) Other cast members include pro fighters Ryan Bader<\/strong>, Bas Rutten<\/strong> and Oleksandr Usyk<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n With Smashing Machine<\/i>, Safdie makes his solo directorial debut following past collaborations with brother Josh Safdie<\/strong> on films including Uncut Gems<\/i> and Good Time<\/i>. Josh, 41, went behind the camera on his own to helm the upcoming Marty Supreme<\/i>, a table-tennis dramedy featuring Timothee Chalamet<\/strong> and Gwyneth Paltrow<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \n\t\t\tDwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson has laid the smackdown on the WWE and Hollywood for nearly 30 years. The 10-time WWE Champion blazed a trail through Hollywood that many of his wrestling contemporaries \u2014 such as John Cena and Dave Bautista \u2014 have followed over the years, all while maintaining his connection to pro wrestling. Thank [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cMark was the greatest fighter in the world at one point, but this film is not even really about fighting \u2014 it\u2019s a love story,\u201d a tearful Johnson said at a press conference in Venice, per THR<\/i><\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s a love story about Mark and Dawn in this relationship, and it\u2019s a love story about Mark and the love that he had for the thing that he did \u2014 his struggle with trying to deliver [in the ring], his challenges and his overcoming. As you know, Mark OD\u2019d twice, and he\u2019s lucky to be alive \u2014 and that\u2019s part of why this story is so special.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Johnson called Blunt his \u201cbest friend\u201d and said that she helped motivate him to take on the challenge of portraying Kerr, 56, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFrom the time we worked on Jungle Cruise<\/i> together, she really encouraged and believed in me and said, \u2018You know, there\u2019s a place that you can put all the stuff that you have gone through as a kid,\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cI\u2019ve been very close with Emily and shared a lot of everything that I\u2019ve gone through, and she said, \u2018That place is what you love to do, which is acting \u2014 and you have me \u2014 so let\u2019s do this together.\u2019 And then Benny was on the other side of that, saying, \u2018Hey, I got you both, and let\u2019s go for it.\u2019 So that transformation could not have happened without my best friend being there to support and encourage me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Thank You!<\/h3>\n
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\n Related: <\/span>Happy Birthday, Dwayne \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson! His Biggest Moments<\/span><\/a>
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