Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has long been known as one of Hollywood’s biggest –literally– stars, and that has been largely for his performances in blockbuster action films. However, his latest project, the Mark Kerr biopic The Smashing Machine, which is being produced by A24 and directed by Benny Safdie, combines action and serious drama, which could land him an Oscar nomination if it all goes according to plan.
Collider interviewed UFC President and CEO Dana White in anticipation of the Roku exclusiveFight Inc: Inside the UFC. The series will take fans behind the scenes and show the inner workings of the world’s premier combat sports organization. In the interview, White, who is deeply familiar with both The Rock and the subject of the film, commented that he believes that this is an incredible opportunity for Johnson and for the sport of mixed martial arts. A sneak peek photo of Johnson in the film can be seen below.
“I don’t know if you saw it, but he was showing on his Instagram the other day that he messed up his elbow,” explained White. “The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. I know how serious he’s taking this, I know who’s working with him, and I know how hard he’s working on this film. I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.”
“I know how serious he’s taking this, I know who’s working with him, and I know how hard he’s working on this film. I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.”
White references an elbow injury that Johnson sustained during filming, which ended up being a burst bursa sack, and caused severe inflammation. The Rock took to Instagram to show off his hard-earned bruises –and perhaps do a little plug for his tequila brand, Teremana. To White, the fact that The Rock is sustaining an injury of that manner, which is so similar to those that real fighters undergo, means that he is walking the walk. “He’s taken this very seriously,” White said. “This has been a passion project for him for a while, and he has 100% of the support from the UFC.”
Dwayne Johnson Plays Real-Life Fighter Mark Kerr
The Smashing Machine tells the life of Mark Kerr, a pioneer in the sport of MMA. Kerr first got involved in collegiate wrestling at Syracuse University and even won the Division-I championship, before switching his focus to mixed martial arts. He fought in Brazil, in Japan, and perhaps most notably, in the UFC, winning one of the first Heavyweight tournaments. The film will focus on the years after his UFC victories, as Kerr fought with substance abuse issues and the permanent pressure for victory.
The Smashing Machine is slated for theatrical release in December 202