Dwayne Johnson faced significant anxiety when preparing to portray UFC icon Mark Kerr in the upcoming film The Smashing Machine. This project, set to release on October 3, 2025, marks a notable shift for Johnson, as he steps away from his usual blockbuster persona to explore a deeply challenging and real-life story.
Johnson’s apprehension stemmed from how different this role was compared to his previous work, driving him to question his ability to do justice to Kerr’s complex life. This film presents an opportunity for Johnson to redefine his image in Hollywood by embracing a character marked by both triumph and struggle.
Understanding Mark Kerr: The Man Behind The Smashing Machine
Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, earned the nickname “Smashing Machine” due to his dominant presence in the Octagon. He began his professional MMA career at 28 and quickly rose to fame, but his personal life was fraught with challenges, including battles with substance abuse and difficulties in his relationship with ex-wife Dawn Staples.
Kerr’s struggles extended beyond the ring, as he worked to overcome addiction, specifically to painkillers, which affected his career and health. After retiring partly for safety reasons, he pursued education in pharmaceutical sales and later held a job at a Toyota dealership. His post-fighting life also includes managing peripheral neuropathy, a diagnosis he announced in 2019 after experiencing symptoms since 2016.
Johnson has described the upcoming film as more than a sports biography. It explores Kerr’s relationships and the internal battles that defined him, highlighting his love for both Dawn and the sport that shaped his life.
It’s a love story about Mark and Dawn in this relationship, and it’s a love story about Mark and the love that he had for the thing that he did — his struggle with trying to deliver [in the ring], his challenges and his overcoming.
—Dwayne Johnson, Actor
Kerr, who has maintained sobriety for eight years, has expressed his respect for Johnson’s dedication to portraying his story accurately, appreciating the actor’s willingness to incorporate his input.
How The Smashing Machine Could Shift Dwayne Johnson’s Career Path
Though Mark Kerr’s story has been previously documented in a 2002 HBO documentary, this feature film adaptation has the potential to be a turning point for Johnson’s acting career. Known mostly for playing similar heroic roles in large-scale productions such as Jungle Cruise and Black Adam, Johnson has rarely ventured into more nuanced, serious characters.
He has acknowledged the constraints that come with being a major box-office star. The focus on commercial success often pigeonholes actors into specific types of roles, limiting their creative expression and growth.
The box office in our business is very loud. And it can push you into a category and into a corner: This is your lane, this is what you do, this what people want you to be in and this is what Hollywood wants you to be. And I understood that. And I made those movies, and I like them and they were fun. And some were really good and did well and some not so good.
—Dwayne Johnson, Actor
Johnson hopes that The Smashing Machine will allow audiences to see him in a new light and lead to roles that showcase his range beyond the usual action-hero mold. The film’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival and its association with A24 hints at a more serious cinematic approach for the actor.
Additionally, reports of a potential collaboration with acclaimed director Martin Scorsese suggest that Johnson’s trajectory in Hollywood may soon focus more on artistic and critically acclaimed projects, moving past the constraints of strictly commercial blockbuster films.
The Importance of Johnson’s Role in Bringing Kerr’s Story to Life
Tackling the role of Mark Kerr required Johnson to confront his own fears and doubts about this very different type of acting challenge. The story encompasses Kerr’s physical and emotional battles, not just his achievements in MMA. This makes the film not only a sports biopic but an intimate look at the resilience of a man grappling with addiction, relationships, and his love for fighting.
Johnson’s commitment to authenticity and respect for Kerr’s experiences signals the seriousness with which he approached this role. Both the UFC legend’s legacy and Johnson’s evolving career stand to benefit from this portrayal, potentially encouraging broader conversations about the struggles behind the spotlight of professional sports.
As fans and critics await the release, Johnson’s transformation in The Smashing Machine could mark the start of a new chapter for the actor, one where his work resonates beyond box-office numbers and explores the deeper complexities of real-life heroes.
