US EditionDwayne Johnson Says He Felt ‘Pigeon-Holed’ as Hollywood Blockbuster Star
Dwayne Johnson's portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, battling addiction and turmoil, earned a 15-minute standing ovation and strong awards buzz at the Venice Film Festival.
- On September 1, 2025, Dwayne Johnson sobbed after The Smashing Machine received a 15-minute standing ovation at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in Lido, Venice, Italy.
- Drawn by `raw and real` storytelling, Dwayne Johnson accepted Benny Safdie's film that dramatizes Mark Kerr's rise and personal struggles including substance abuse and a turbulent marriage.
- Wearing heavy prosthetics, Dwayne Johnson appeared significantly slimmer during promo appearances and the film debuted with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Variety reported he spent three to four hours daily applying prosthetics.
- The standing ovation has boosted Oscar chatter, positioning Dwayne Johnson as a Best Actor contender as A24 sets the U.S. release for October 3, 2025, following TIFF on September 8, 2025.
- At the Lido, the audience's reaction — one of the year's longest ovations — coincided with Mark Kerr, the film's real-life subject, breaking into tears as the credits rolled, highlighting addiction and UFC's early struggles.
46 Articles
46 Articles
Oscar Buzz Builds for The Rock
Dwayne Johnson takes a serious turn as UFC fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, which had its world premiere Monday at the Venice Film Festival. "I have for a long time wanted this," Johnson said before the premiere, per the AP . "The transformation part was something I was really...
Actor Dwayne Johnson, known as La Roca, wept deeply during the screening of The Smashing Machine at the Venice Film Festival. The audience applauded him standing for 15 minutes after the September 1 show.A video showed the 53-year-old actor rubbing his eyes as Emily Blunt, his cast companion, embraced him in the midst of the ovation.Dwayne Johnson cries during the 15-minute standing ovation for his new movie ‘THE SMASHING MACHINE’Read our review…
“The Smashing Machine” Starring Usyk and Johnson Gets 15-Minute Ovation at Venice Film Festival
At the Venice Film Festival, director Benny Safdie presented his new film The Smashing Machine, featuring Ukrainian boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk in one of the key roles. The world premiere was met with a standing ovation that lasted 15 minutes, Deadline reported on September 1. The screening took place as part of the festival’s main program and received an overwhelming reception from the audience. Lead actor Dwayne Johnson, who plays the centr…
Dwayne Johnson says he felt ‘pigeon-holed’ as Hollywood blockbuster star
By Amarachi Orie, CNN (CNN) — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, whose role in boxing movie “The Smashing Machine” is marking a dramatic turn in his acting career, has said he felt “pigeon-holed” as a blockbuster star. The former WWE wrestler – who is known for portraying charismatic and athletic characters in high-octane action movies such as the “Fast & Furious” film franchise, “San Andreas” and “Skyscraper” – takes on the role of a much more nuanced …
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