Dwayne Johnson Earns Oscar Buzz for dramatic Turn as UFC Fighter Mark Kerr in “The Smashing Machine”
Venice, italy – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is generating significantโฃ oscar buzz following theโข world premiere of “The Smashing Machine”โ at the Venice โคFilm Festival on Monday. The film, directed by Benny Safdie,โข marks a dramatic departure for theโฃ actor, known for his action-hero roles in franchises like “Jumanji” and “Fast & Furious.”
Johnson portrays Mark Kerr, aโค two-time โฃUFC heavyweight tournamentโ winner and MMA fighter whose career was shadowed by struggles with painkiller and opioid addiction, including two โoverdoses. โขEarly reactions suggest โa transformative performance from Johnson, prompting speculation he could be a frontrunner in the Best Actorโ category.
“Absolutely amazing,” is how Alberto Barbera, โthe artistic director of the Venice Filmโ Festival, described Johnson’s performance too the Associated Press. He also predicted nominations for both โJohnson and Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s wife, at next year’s Academy Awards.The Veniceโข Film Festival has proven to be a launching pad for recent Best โคActor winners, includingโค Brendan Fraser forโค “The Whale” and Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist.” Notably, “The Smashing Machine” shares aโ distributor with both films: A24, a โขstudio renowned for its critically acclaimed and awards-worthy projects.
Safdie, known โขfor his work on the critically lauded “Uncut Gems” (co-directed with hisโค brother Josh), described the film’s title as “a perfect onomatopoeia โfor something visual, conjuring โคimages โofโข domination and destruction with ease.”
before becomingโ a global movie starโข andโ successful businessman, Johnson made his name โขin professional wrestling, winning eight WWE โchampionships as a third-generation grappler.”The Smashing Machine” appears to be a return to a more grounded, physically demanding role, showcasing a new facet of Johnson’s acting talent.
While official reviewsโ are still forthcoming, the early word from Venice suggests “The Smashing โคMachine” is not onyl a compelling biographical dramaโค but a potential awards contender, solidifying Dwayne Johnson’s evolution โas a serious dramatic actor.
Keywords: Dwayne โjohnson, The Rock, โขThe Smashing Machine, mark Kerr, UFC,โ MMA, Venice Film Festival, Oscars, A24, Benny safdie, Brendan Fraser, Adrien Brody, Film, Movie, Biography, Drama, Addiction.