‘Am I Gonna Get A Standing Ovation?’ The Rock Hilariously Admits He Was Worried After Hearing Other Stars Got Standing Ovations

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Success in the movie industry can be measured in many ways. Some focus on how much money a film makes, while others prioritize critical reviews or recognition through awards and nominations. At film festivals, a strong indicator of success is often how enthusiastically the audience reacts – something Dwayne Johnson experienced firsthand earlier this year.

I was so excited to hear Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Emily Blunt, and director Benny Safdie took their new film, The Smashing Machine, to the Venice Film Festival! It was actually The Rock’s first time being invited to a festival of that caliber, which is pretty incredible considering how huge he’s become in Hollywood. He told me he started noticing all the other stars there and hearing about these massive standing ovations other films were getting. Being a first-timer at Venice, he was definitely a little nervous about how The Smashing Machine would be received, and honestly, he admitted he wouldn’t pretend otherwise – it’s a big deal!

During a sitdown with Deadline, Johnson told the outlet he literally asked Safdie and Blunt what they were supposed to do if no one clapped for the movie. He even jokingly asked if he could start a standing ovation himself, but beneath the humorous comment, there was clearly anxiety. Here’s how he put it…

This was the first time one of my films had been selected for the Venice Film Festival, so it was a huge moment for me. While we had some free time, I started seeing news about other films premiering there – getting standing ovations and featuring stars like George Clooney and Julia Roberts. It suddenly hit me – would my film receive the same reaction? I immediately called my friends, Benny and Emily, and we met up at the hotel that night. I jokingly asked them if we should start a standing ovation ourselves if the audience didn’t give us one – and if so, who should initiate it!

It turned out all the worry was for nothing. The film received an incredible fifteen-minute standing ovation – so loud it even made the director tear up! He was so moved that he later wrote a letter to the audience, thanking them for their amazing support of The Smashing Machine.

The film’s reception has been varied since its release. While it didn’t perform well in theaters – likely because its focus on character development and emotional depth didn’t appeal to a broad audience – it received widespread critical acclaim and earned several Golden Globe nominations, including a first-ever major nomination for actor Johnson.

It’s charming to think about Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – someone who’s a huge box office draw and used to performing for massive crowds – being anxious about whether a film will receive a standing ovation. It really shows how much passion he has for his work, like in The Smashing Machine. Considering he’s clearly dedicated to taking on interesting roles and is now collaborating with Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese on a new project, I doubt this will be the last time he’s at a film festival hoping for that enthusiastic response.

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2025-12-25 20:12