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Dwayne Johnson Says Becoming Mark Kerr Changed His Life

Originally posted on The Sportster | By Adam Barnard | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 5:52 PM ET

Dwayne Johnson remains one of the most popular performers in Hollywood, transitioning seamlessly between his time on WWE programming to the big screen. His roles have been action-driven, with successful franchises like Jumanji and The Fast and The Furious, but he recently took his first step into dramatic territory, portraying MMA pioneer Mark Kerr in the upcoming A24 production, The Smashing Machine.

Early reviews of the film have praised Johnson's portrayal of Kerr, effectively becoming him in both physicality and vocal tone. In a recent conversation with ClutchPoints' Andrew Korpan, Dwayne Johnson reflected on his transformation into Mark Kerr, and its lasting impact on his life.

Dwayne Johnson Says Becoming Mark Kerr Was Life-Changing

It's not out of the ordinary to see an actor fully commit to a role, changing their dialects and appearance in order to take on the essence of the character. Dwayne Johnson, however, became Mark Kerr for his starring role in The Smashing Machine.

When talking about taking on the role and his process, Johnson admits to his fears about doing so, but how it's changed his approach to acting and his work overall.

Mark Kerr's life changed mine, but also, everything that's included in this [filmmaking] process has completely changed my life and how I view what I do, when I do it, how I do it, and the things that I can apply now because I was able to access places emotionally that I didn't want to access in the past.

It was scary, and I did it.

Johnson says he knew the risks he was taking by signing on for Kerr's life story, but that he was ready to take them, even if he failed.

I was like, 'Okay, if I fail and fall flat on my face, I'm going out swinging.'

Our Take On Dwayne Johnson's Dramatic Role In The Smashing Machine

TheSportster recently sat for an early screening of The Smashing Machine, and the film delivers on its attempt to tell the story of the MMA pioneer Mark Kerr, working to maintain his place inside the growing world of combat fighting while battling an intense home life and a growing drug addiction. The film, written and directed by the brilliant Benny Safdie, uses grappling and MMA as the backdrop through the remarkable story of MMA's most underappreciated titan.

Johnson bet the house on an opportunity to take a leap into another chapter in his film career and won big. With his deeply poignant and vulnerable portrayal of Kerr's struggles and triumphs, Johnson showed that he's more than just action films and big muscles; he's got the range and depth to be Hollywood's next leading man in any genre.

The Smashing Machine, an A24 production starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, and written and directed by Benny Safdie, hits theaters October 3rd.

Source: ClutchPoints

This article first appeared on The Sportster and was syndicated with permission.

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