Dwayne Johnson breaks silence on why he burst into tears at “surreal” The Smashing Machine premiere

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Dwayne Johnson recently shared what moved him to tears at the Venice Film Festival premiere of his latest movie, The Smashing Machine, which also features Emily Blunt. Many people have complimented Johnson’s portrayal of actual MMA fighter Mark Kerr in the biographical film, written and directed by Benny Safdie.

The film, which won Safdie the Silver Lion award at Venice, was met with a 15-minute standing ovation at the festival, and Johnson was visibly moved to tears during it.

“That was amazing and so surreal,” the actor said during a chat with Heart Radio.

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We created this film without really expecting it to be submitted to a film festival, receive an invitation, or participate in any competition. We weren’t particularly focused on those outcomes.

Honestly, we poured our hearts into making this film. We really wanted to create something that people could really connect with, and walk away with some great thoughts and feelings after watching it. It was all about making something people could explore and learn from.

I was honestly so nervous before showing The Smashing Machine. I remember thinking, “Oh gosh, what if it bombs? Do *we* have to start clapping just to make it seem like people liked it? What if nobody claps at all?” It was a really stressful moment!

Wow, after the premiere, the reaction from the audience was incredible! I heard from Johnson that people didn’t even wait for the credits – they just immediately started cheering and applauding. He said it lasted for a full fifteen and a half minutes! It’s amazing to see so much support, and I’m so excited for everyone to experience it.

Regarding how he felt, the main character explained that his colleague, Emily Blunt, playfully told him to snap out of it and regain his composure.

“She was like, pull yourself together, and I was like, ‘B***, I’m crying,'” he said.

“But we were all so emotional because of what it represented,” he continued, “and I think ultimately what it represented was we made a good movie and something special”.

Johnson said that Kerr was also at the premiere, and was “really emotional and crying”.

Johnson stated, “And I believe it told him, ‘You lived a life that mattered,’ even considering his battles with addiction, having overdosed on two occasions, and being fortunate to have survived.”

“I think, for him, in that moment, it was his validation and I’m so happy for him.”

The Smashing Machine is released in UK cinemas on 3 October.

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2025-10-02 20:49