Dwayne Johnson Responds to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Out-of-Body’ Praise for Flopped Sports Biopic

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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was incredibly moved when director Christopher Nolan complimented his performance as MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Johnson described the moment, which happened during a screening of the film for the Director’s Guild of America, as so overwhelming it felt like an out-of-body experience.

Johnson said hearing director Christopher Nolan praise his performance as the former fighter was the most inspiring moment of his life. Nolan called the portrayal “heartbreaking” during a screening in Los Angeles, with director Benny Safdie and other fans present. Johnson recalled squeezing his wife’s hand so tightly she squeezed back.

After realizing he’d gotten carried away, Dwayne Johnson shared that his wife, Lauren Hashian, encouraged him to thank Christopher Nolan for his kind words. She told him to go backstage and talk to the director normally. Johnson said he then gave Nolan a big hug and kiss on the cheek, simply telling him, “Thank you.”

Nolan was grateful for the kind words. Johnson recalled him saying, “I truly meant it. Your performance was incredibly moving,” before they shared another hug. “That’s all I could do,” Johnson added.

Johnson became visibly emotional while discussing Nolan and the film The Smashing Machine during an interview with Safdie about his first film as a solo director.

The Smashing Machine Underperformed Despite Christopher Nolan’s Praise

Nolan praised the former WWE star’s performance, saying he doesn’t expect to see a better one anytime soon. He described the film itself as truly unique and impressive.

I find it so interesting that Christopher Nolan seems to have a soft spot for Oppenheimer, and I recently learned why! Apparently, it all ties back to how the Safdie brothers’ The Smashing Machine came about. There was a story going around that Josh Safdie, who was actually in Oppenheimer with Emily Blunt, tried to get her to be in his movie while they were both on set! He told Nolan it wasn’t quite true, though. He didn’t ask her while filming. Instead, they actually talked about her potential role in The Smashing Machine at a Q&A for Nolan’s Oppenheimer – can you believe it? It’s such a cool connection!

Before it was even released, Dwayne Johnson was receiving praise for his role as wrestler Mark Kerr. While critics gave the film a ‘Fresh’ rating of 70% and audiences liked it with a 75% score, it didn’t do well in theaters. Despite encouragement from director Christopher Nolan, the movie only earned $19.9 million worldwide on a $50 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

You can now buy The Smashing Machine on Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and other digital stores.

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2025-11-12 22:06