Dwayne Johnson Shares How He Really Feels About That Smashing Machine Oscars Snub

Dwayne Johnson has spoken candidly about missing out on an Oscar nomination for his role as mixed martial arts legend Mark Kerr in the sports biopic The Smashing Machine.

The former WWE star earned widespread praise for his transformation into the troubled MMA pioneer in the Benny Safdie drama, with many critics hailing it as the best performance of his career.

While it earned him a Golden Globe nomination and plenty of Oscar buzz, no Academy Award glory followed.

The wrestler-turned-actor has now revealed to Esquire that his disappointment at this awards snub has only fuelled his determination to push himself further in Hollywood.

“It would have been incredible to get nominated for an Oscar,” he explained, before adding: “I realised very quickly that it’s a rare thing to reach this pinnacle where you’re even having these conversations. And it’s exciting!”

Dwayne continued: “It would have been amazing. I wish it happened. But it didn’t.

“But in no uncertain terms did I ever think, ‘Oh, that doesn’t matter’. I always thought it mattered. And it has lit a fire in my spine, which is: Let’s go back to work.”

In December, Dwayne reflected on the experience of making The Smashing Machine to IndieWire, telling them he needed to take on the role and step outside his comfort zone for his “soul”.

“I need to challenge myself and I need to listen to my gut and my instinct and this little voice that has now become very resounding, banging on my rib cage, ’You must do this. A change has to happen, and it’s scary, and that’s K,” he said, before adding that he didn’t want to “wake up 25 years from now” and regret not having taken on the role.

Despite its critical acclaim, The Smashing Machine underperformed at the box office, but at the time, Dwayne felt like the film was more than just about numbers and making money.

“My relationship with success for The Smashing Machine is not a number,” he told IndieWire. “And it may sound convenient, but I mean this from the heart, it’s just peace. Being at peace with it, and being at peace with the performance.”

The Smashing Machine also starred Oscar nominee Emily Blunt and UFC’s Ryan Bader, and when it premiered at last year’s Venice International Film Festival, it received a 15.5-minute ovation and won the Silver Lion.

Looking ahead, Dwayne is already preparing for his next collaboration with Benny Safdie on Lizard Music.

His next film is the live-action reimagining of Disney’s Moana, which is released in cinemas in July.