Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has once again addressed the possibility of a future presidential run, offering a brief but open-ended comment on the long-running speculation. The actor and entrepreneur made the remarks during a season premiere episode of Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast while discussing his new, critically acclaimed dramatic film, “The Smashing Machine”. (Scroll down on this page to listen to the interview).
The primary focus of the interview was Johnson’s dramatic turn in the A24 film, but the conversation also touched on the recurring question of his political aspirations. When asked if a “Rock for president” campaign was still a possibility, Johnson acknowledged the persistent nature of the topic. “It’s wild, man,” Johnson said on the podcast. “I’m always honored that people ask that. I love what I do. I love storytelling. But yeah… we’ll see”.
Johnson appeared on the podcast to promote “The Smashing Machine,” a film directed by Benny Safdie in which Johnson portrays real-life MMA legend Mark Kerr. The role is a significant departure from his blockbuster action career, trading his “superhero swagger for emotional fragility, physical vulnerability and unflinching truth”. The film premiered to “thunderous ovations” at the Venice Film Festival, a reception that moved Johnson to tears and has generated awards-season buzz.
He described the preparation for the role as the most difficult of his career. “This transition was, it was the hardest thing that I’ve ever done,” Johnson stated. The process involved a physical transformation that required him to gain 30 pounds, prosthetics, and a vocal transformation to capture Kerr’s specific style of talking. Johnson explained that he used the role to tap into personal trauma, stating, “I knew once I crossed this line and really went for it, then tap into all of that, and finally, I have a place to put all this stuff”.
Johnson also revealed a personal connection to the story, having known Mark Kerr in the mid-1990s. He met Kerr at a gym in Los Angeles when Johnson was at the beginning of his WWE career as Rocky Maivia and Kerr was a legendary fighter. “You see the guy, and he looks incredible. He looks like a million dollars,” Johnson recalled. “But at that time, he was struggling so badly with addiction and depression and shame, all these things. But you never know… you never know what people are going through”.
The full interview with Dwayne Johnson is available on Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast. Hosted by Michael Schneider and featuring interviews from Clayton Davis, the podcast covers conversations about the best in film and television. Listeners can subscribe to the “Awards Circuit” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are downloaded.
