The Smashing Machine Starring Dwayne Johnson Earns Praise From Christopher Nolan

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Okay, so the movie didn’t exactly *crush* it at the box office, which is a shame. But get this – Christopher Nolan, the director of all those amazing films, is actually a huge fan! And he really likes the lead actor too, which is awesome to hear.

In a recent interview on the Directors Guild of America’s podcast, The Director’s Cut, Christopher Nolan highly praised a particular performance. Speaking with director Benny Safdie, Nolan stated he believes it’s an exceptional and groundbreaking piece of acting that will likely stand out as one of the best of the year—and many years to come—and its significance will grow with time.

The director of *The Smashing Machine* shared that he was developing the film while acting in *Oppenheimer* as Edward Teller. It was during this time that he met Emily Blunt, who plays Dawn Staples in the sports movie. Nolan playfully teased Safdie, saying he’d heard Safdie was scouting actors for his own film instead of learning his lines on the *Oppenheimer* set. Safdie clarified that he’d asked Blunt about potentially being in his movie during a Q&A session for *Oppenheimer*.

The film *The Smashing Machine* chronicles the life of MMA fighter Mark Kerr during the late 1990s. It details his success in the sport, but also the immense physical and emotional challenges he faced, including a struggle with painkiller addiction and a difficult relationship with Dawn Staples. Rather than a typical underdog story with a happy ending, the movie focuses on Kerr’s resilience, his internal battles, and the long-term effects of his choices.

I recently spoke with Johnson about why he took the part, and he was incredibly candid. He admitted this was a role he’d been chasing for a long time, but Hollywood had started to box him in. He explained that the focus on box office numbers can be deafening, and it pressures actors to fit into specific categories. It’s like they tell you, ‘This is your niche, and this is what we expect from you,’ which can be creatively limiting.

Johnson Wants To Take On Deeper Roles

The actor enjoys large-scale films, but he felt it was time to explore new opportunities. He said he had a strong desire to see what else he could do, even though some of his previous big movies had been successful. He explained that it can be difficult to discover your full potential when people tend to see you in a limited way.

Following the October 3rd release of his movie, *The Smashing Machine*, Johnson shared his gratitude on Instagram. He wrote that while you can’t predict how a film will do in theaters, you *can* control your dedication to the role and fully immerse yourself in the character. He said he’ll always embrace that challenge, and that making this film has been a transformative experience for him.

The Smashing Machine is currently playing in theaters.

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2025-10-15 17:06