Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has opened up about his demanding role as MMA legend Mark Kerr in the upcoming A24 film, “The Smashing Machine.” In a new article, Johnson admitted that he was “really scared” and questioned if he could handle the part.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson On ‘The Smashing Machine’
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Johnson discussed the process of transforming himself into the former UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion. He revealed that the role forced him to confront parts of himself he had never explored on camera before.
“It was very real. I had not experienced that in a very, very, very long time, where I was really scared and thinking, I don’t know if I can do this. Can I do this?” Johnson said. “You have to be willing to tap into all the stuff that you’ve gone through, and this was stuff that I had not explored on camera or otherwise… I found it so scary, but also, so nourishing and freeing. I ripped it open.”
Emily Blunt On Dwayne Johnson’s Transformation
His co-star in the film, Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s wife, Dawn, commented on Johnson’s complete immersion into the character. She described his performance as a “full disappearance.”
“It seemed to be an effortless immersion—like a full disappearance, spooky,” Blunt said. “From day one, he was elsewhere. He has absorbed and borne witness to so much of what Mark has experienced that it was such a beautiful thing to watch this person let go of having to be an image, of having to be The Rock, and crack himself in half for this role.”
The Rock last appeared for WWE at the Elimination Chamber premium live event in February, where he orchestrated John Cena’s heel turn. The full feature article on “The Smashing Machine” can be found in the latest edition of Vanity Fair.
