Dwayne Johnson has recently explained why he takeS on the role of Benny Safdie’s wrestling biopic,The Smashing Machine.
The wrestler-turned-actor, who plays the UFC champion Mark Kerr in the upcoming movie, has opened up that he aspires new acting roles that are far beyond box office review.
“I have, for a long time, wanted this… The three of us (the director Benny and costar Emily Blunt, who plays Mark’s girlfriend Dawn Staples) have talked for a very long time about, when you’re in Hollywood it had become about box office,” said the 53-year-old while speaking at the Venice Film Festival press conference, via Deadline.
The Rock noted that we actors mostly “chase the box office, and the box office can be very loud and it can become very resounding and it can push you into a category and into a corner”.
Jungle Cruise actor stated, “This is your lane and this is what you do and this is what Hollywood wants you to do.”
Therefore, Dwayne believed that this “transformation” was something he was “really hungry to do” as he talked about his role in Benny’s movie.
The Rock admitted that he loved “making box office worthy movies” and “some were really good and did well, and some not so good”.
However, inside, the Black Adam actor shared he was yearning for something more.
“I just had this burning desire and voice that was saying, ‘What if there is more and what if I can?’” he continued.
Dwayne reflected, “A lot of times, it’s harder for us — or at least for me — to know what you’re capable of when you’ve been pigeonholed into something.”
“Sometimes it takes people that who you love and respect, like Emily and Benny, to say that you can,” remarked the Moana 2 star.
During the conference, Dwayne also got emotional as he discussed Mark’s personal struggle, which he was assigned to represent on screen.
Meanwhile, The Smashing Machine will release in theatres on October 3.
