The Oppenheimer Oscar winner heaped praise on Johnson for his portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
The campaign of Dwayne Johnson for the Oscar for best actor for The Smashing Machine receives an unexpected boost thanks to none other than Christopher Nolanwho recently appeared on “The Director’s Cut” podcast for an interview with the film’s director, Benny Safdie.
The Oscar winner for Oppenheimer He showered Johnson with praise for his portrayal of the MMA fighter Mark Kerrwhich Nolan called “heartbreaking.”
“I think it’s an incredible performance,” Nolan added.. “I don’t think we’ll see a better performance this year or in most years.”
Nolan and Safdie have a history in common, as Nolan directed the actor and filmmaker in Oppenheimer, where he also appeared Emily Bluntstar of The Smashing Machine, in an Oscar-nominated supporting role. Safdie met Blunt on the set of Oppenheimer.
“I heard a rumor that when you were supposed to be learning your lines on my set, you were actually looking for people for your movie.”Nolan joked with Safdie. “I didn’t know it at the time, but it seems like you’ve been doing great.”
Nolan added in a more serious tone: “Congratulations on the film. It’s a truly remarkable and radical work that will become increasingly better understood over time. I’m very proud to know you.”
What The Smashing Machine is about
Johnson plays two-time UFC heavyweight champion Kerr in The Smashing Machine, opposite Blunt as Kerr’s wife, Dawn Staples. The film chronicles their rocky relationship amid Kerr’s professional ups and downs in MMA, including his issues with substance abuse. Safdie won the award for best director at the Venice Film Festival for the film, but has since struggled at the box office.
Its $5.9 million debut marked the low of Johnson’s career, trailing his 2010 thriller, Faster ($8.5 million). The Smashing Machine has grossed $10 million in the United States to date with a production budget of $50 million.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
