US EditionThe Smashing Machine: Who Is Mark Kerr, the Former MMA Star Played by Dwayne Johnson in New Movie?
Dwayne Johnson portrays UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, highlighting his battles with addiction and personal struggles during MMA's early, brutal era between 1997 and 2000.
- The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie, is a sports biopic about mixed martial arts star Mark Kerr, set from 1997 to 2000.
- The film draws from a 2002 HBO documentary and shows Kerr's rise as a violent yet gentle fighter amid MMA's early, fringe years.
- It depicts Kerr's bouts in the U.S., Brazil, and Japan, his opioid addiction struggles, and his turbulent relationship with girlfriend Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt.
- Kerr's voice on the soundtrack describes the thrill of winning: "When you win, nothing else in the world matters," reflecting his complex persona.
- The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Monday and offers a subdued, realistic portrayal of Kerr's life, focusing on vulnerability over triumph.
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The actor surprised at the Venice Festival with a remarkably more stylized figure.Johnson lost more than 20 kilos to play MMA wrestler Mark Kerr in "The Smashing Machine.""It was the opportunity he needed, and he couldn't let it go," he said.
Dwayne Johnson (53), also known as 'The Rock', has undergone a true transformation! The actor lost a whopping 60 pounds for his new film The Smashing Machine, in which he plays the most feared MMA wrestler and also a heavily addicted martial arts champion Mark Kerr (56). "It's a miracle he's still alive..."
Yorkshire Evening Post
The Smashing Machine: Who is Mark Kerr, the former MMA star played by Dwayne Johnson in new movie?
Who is the former UFC and Pride FC fighter Mark Kerr, who Dwayne Johnson is set to play in the upcoming A24 biopic, “The Smashing Machine”?
In competition in Venice the film 'The smashing machine' with Dwayne Johnson who tells victories and defeats of a fighter
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