Join The Club
Dwayne Johnson’s best movies have shown just what a talent he is, as they showcase his comedic timing, physical presence and that smolder. Yet, when he made The Smashing Machine, A24's mixed martial arts biopic on Mark Kerr, it was considered a dramatic breakthrough for the man long known as The Rock. Following the success of Benny Safdie’s movie, Johnson received his first standing ovation at a film festival, and the actor didn't hold back about crying during the event.
For someone who was hilariously worried he wouldn’t get a standing ovation, Dwayne Johnson’s dream came true at the Venice Film Festival, where he was met with 16 minutes of applause from the festival’s attendees. During a sit-down interview with Esquire, the Jumanji star revisited that beautiful moment and humorously poked fun at himself:
We got a sixteen-and-a-half minute standing ovation, and it just rocked me. It blew me away. And I am so moved that I’m crying like a—what’s the word? Oh, bitch. Yes. Thank you. Crying, sobbing.
I really hope a pun was intended when The Rock said it “rocked” him. That aside, though, it's hard to blame the guy for crying and sobbing so hard. Sure, this is the same man who used to electrify stadiums full of people during his days in the ring. However, the Red One star also previously admitted to feeling insecure about taking on more interesting roles outside of blockbuster work. So the praise he received for Smashing Machine along with with that standing ovation were somewhat validating for him.
Johnson may have been blubbering after film festival goers stood up and cheered for him, but he also heartily spoke about how co-star Emily Blunt found a way to turn his tears into laughter:
And I’m also laughing because what Emily does in moments of. Like if there’s emotional moments, she, in her very Emily Blunt British way, likes to undercut emotional stuff. So, at the top of this clip, you see her. You know, she’s like, [imitating her goofy facial expression and hand pose] she’s fucking around and she’s trying at me. And I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m fucking crying.’ [Laughing] Oh, we were laughing at this so much, but what a beautiful night.
Now, that's a good friend. The Rock and Blunt have been good buddies since co-starring in 2021's Jungle Cruise, and she clearly knows how to tickle his funny bone. When Johnson confirmed he’d be reuniting with Blunt for the A24 flick, he posted on his Instagram that he found her “inspiring.” Considering what a sweet bond the two have, it’s no wonder they have great chemistry in their movies.
The Rock was so overcome with emotion for his 16-minute standing ovation that he even penned a lovely statement after on social media. He made sure to emphasize that he had only imagined a moment like that and that he was “deeply moved.” As Johnson’s A24 follow-up gig will have him play the creepily perfect role of a mysterious guru in Breakthrough, I have a feeling he could find himself in a position to receive more praise during a festival.
Feel free to see why film festival goers applauded Johnson for 16 minutes by checking out The Smashing Machine, which is streamable with an HBO Max subscription.
