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From Rocky Start to Oscar Hopeful: Dwayne Johnson Hits Toronto
The film explores Mark Kerr's UFC career, addiction struggles, and complex relationships, fulfilling a long-held dream of director Benny Safdie and star Dwayne Johnson.
- On October 3, The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Mark Kerr, opens, depicting his UFC career and struggles beyond HBO's 2002 documentary.
- Years ago, Dwayne Johnson first approached Benny Safdie about a Kerr biopic, but COVID and scheduling delays stalled the project despite Safdie's persistence and a lost vintage 1990s yellow Nautica sweater gift.
- At Venice International Film Festival premiere, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson used a voice coach and endured three to four hours of facial prosthetics each morning to embody Mark Kerr.
- Benny Safdie's Venice directing prize combined with A24's campaigning means the film's awards momentum grows as festival reaction sparks talk of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's reshaping Hollywood's view this year.
- Including real fighters Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk, the film leans into authenticity, and screenings with Mark Kerr and Dawn Staples elicited reactions deemed truthful and healing.
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Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt Had an 'Immediate Secret Language': We 'Became Very Fast Friends'
The pair reunite in ‘The Smashing Machine,’ which premieres at the Toronto Film Festival on Monday, Sept. 8The Walt Disney Company/Image Group LA via Getty Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in 2019NEED TO KNOWDwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt “became very fast friends” when they first met on the set of Jungle Cruise“She is one of the greatest actors of our time, of all time,” Johnson said of BluntThey reunite in The Smashing Machine, which premieres a…
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Total News Sources36
Leaning Left8Leaning Right5Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 35%
C 43%
R 22%
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