One of the biggest movie stars in the world recently underwent a transformation to become a historic figure from the mixed martial arts world.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has shown an interest in MMA for some time but his upcoming movie ‘The Smashing Machine‘ takes this to new heights.
In order to prepare for the roll of former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr, Johnson had to spend significant time on the mats in order to accurately portray the character.
The movie also features the likes of Ryan Bader who had nothing but positive things to say about Johnson and the work he put in to make the role more believable from a physical standpoint.
However, despite his dedication, many questioned why one of the most successful stars in all of entertainment would put himself through this in the first place?
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson says he was drawn to ‘The Smashing Machine’ because of the challenge
Whilst he will always be associated with a WWE ring, Dwayne Johnson has found huge success as an actor and he’s become the kind of star that gets projects made all by himself.
‘The Rock’ has largely stuck to crowd pleasing movies during his time in Hollywood which made it all the more surprising when he decided to team up with the critically acclaimed A24 and Bennie Safdie.
Long-time fans will already know that Johnson is a combat sports fan which means the role was always going to attract him to some degree but taking on a biopic is a very unique challenge.
Unsurprisingly, that’s exactly what drew him to the project now that he has racked up plenty of experience starring in big budget blockbusters.
During his recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show shortly after WrestleMania 41 took place in Las Vegas, Johnson spoke more in depth about why he wanted to take this challenging role that would really push him as an actor.
“I had been wanting for years now to chase the challenge and be inspired by the challenge. I love making the bigger blockbuster movies. They’re a lot of fun. They’re hard as s— to make, and a lot of people enjoy them, hopefully, knock on wood, around the world. But I wanted more. I wanted a challenge, and I just wanted the opportunity to disappear into something and disappear into a part and a role that would really challenge me in ways that I’ve never been challenged before.
“And on top of that, I know it sounds crazy, but to be nervous. In a way, you’re buzzy. ‘How am I going to do this? I don’t know how to do this?’ That happened on ‘The Smashing Machine’ with Benny Safdie and A24 and, of course, Emily Blunt.”
What is Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ about?
‘The Smashing Machine’ is a biopic that is written and directed by Benny Safdie with a planned release date of October 3 after the timeframe was brought forward by A24.
MMA fighter Mark Kerr was nicknamed ‘The Smashing Machine’ during his career where he won multiple UFC heavyweight tournaments and competed in PRIDE for several years.
The story of Kerr’s life and career were previously the subject of a 2002 documentary under the same name as the upcoming movie where his struggles with substance abuse and how it was affecting his relationships became a focus of the movie.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is set to play Kerr, who is currently 56-years-old, with the cast also featuring Emily Blunt who was nominated for an Academy Award last year for her supporting role in Oppenheimer.