Dwayne Johnson, known globally as 'The Rock', was moved to tears at the Venice Film Festival as his new film, The Smashing Machine, received a 15-minute standing ovation. The actor embraced director Benny Safdie as co-star Emily Blunt looked on, visibly emotional.
Before the premiere, a fan shouted Johnson's signature WWE catchphrase, 'Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?!', prompting laughter from the star. The 53-year-old underwent a dramatic physical transformation for the role, playing MMA fighter and UFC pioneer Mark Kerr. Johnson lost around 60 pounds and wore facial prosthetics to resemble Kerr, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion.
The film, written and directed by Safdie of Uncut Gems fame, has already garnered awards buzz. In a five-star review, The Independent's Geoffrey Macnab praised Johnson's performance as one of 'immense pathos, intensity and depth', while noting that co-star Emily Blunt delivers a powerful turn as Kerr's girlfriend.
Johnson has stated that the project represents a desire to explore 'humanity, struggle and pain' in his career, though he emphasised he is not abandoning blockbuster films. The Smashing Machine is based on the 2003 HBO documentary of the same name, which chronicled Kerr's life and career.
