Dwayne Johnson touches his head with his intense new appearance

Dwayne Johnson takes a serious turn as a UFC Mark Kerr fighter in “The Smashing Machine”, which has its world premiere on Monday at the Venice Film Festival.

“For a long time I wanted this,” Johnson said before the premiere. “The transformation part was something that really was hungry.

The actor, better known for the films and comedies of large -budget action, is already causing an Oscar buzzing for his transformation in Benny Safdie’s film.

Ken Hirama Dunn/A24 through AP

“The box office in our business is very noisy,” said Johnson. “And you can push you a category and a corner: this is your lane, this is what you do, this is what people want you to be and this is what Hollywood wants you to be. And I understood it. I made those movies, and I like them and were fun. And some were really good and they did well and others not so good.”

But he felt that he had more to give, not to demonstrate something to Hollywood, but for himself.

The impulse to assume a new challenge was in part of his co -star and friend Emily Blunt, with whom he worked on “Jungle Cruise”, and who encouraged him to resort to everything that had happened in life and put him in his work.

“When you have pigeonholed, it’s hard to know, wait, can I do that?” said. “Sometimes you need people who know and love, such as Emily and Benny, say you can.”

Johnson joined Venice not only for Safdie and Blunt, but also by the man who portrays in the movie. Kerr is twice winner of the UFC heavyweight tournament and MMA fighter who retired in 2009. Known as “The Smashing Machine”, Kerr also fought with the addiction to analgesics and opioids, overdose twice.

Tiziana Fabi images Vietty images

Before Johnson was better known as the franchise star such as “Jumanji” and the “Fast & Furious” series, as well as a producer and owner of a business, a name was made in wrestling. A third generation fighter won eight WWE championships.

“I loved wrestling and I had a great time, but it’s very rimbastic,” said Johnson.

He remembered having met Kerr in the late 1990s and said how much he admired him. This movie, he said, feels like a complete circle moment.

“The Smashing Machine” takes place between 1997 and 2000, a tumulty time both in Kerr’s professional and personal life. His relationship with the then bride Dawn Staples was particularly volatile.

Blunt could know and spend time with his counterpart too. She said she was excited to show the “complete weather system” of a relationship.

“I have been part of many relationships that are essentially more selected for a movie, a movie relationship,” Blunt said. “This was felt as the complete spectrum of how a relationship really looks. Because humans change in an hour. I think we have to show that.”

She said it was extraordinary and a bit “spooky” to see Johnson disappear completely in this role. The priests were designed by Master Kazu makeup artist, who helped Bradley Cooper become Leonard Berntstein and Gary Oldman to Winston Churchill.

The artistic director of Venice, Alberto Barbera, said last week that he would not be surprised to see Johnson, whom he called “absolutely incredible” in the film, and Blunt, who plays Ker’s wife, among the Oscar nominated next year.

Via News

“I have been afraid to deepen and become intense and go crazy until now, until I had this opportunity,” said Johnson.

Both Johnson and Safdie said Kerr had changed their lives.

“It is so beautiful to shed a light on him and learn from his experiences,” said Safdie.

Safdie is also an actor, who recently appeared in “Oppenheimer” and “Happy Gilmore 2”, and a filmmaker who, along with his brother Josh, co -directed “without cutting Gems.”

In its director’s statement for “The Smashing Machine”, Safdie described the title, “a perfect onomatopoeia for something visual, conjuring images of domination and destruction with ease.”

The film is being reproduced in the main competition, with titles such as “Frankenstein”, “Bugonia”, “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, “La Grazia” and “No other option” also compete for the best awards, including the awards for acting and direction. The winners will be announced on September 6.

“The Smashing Machine” will open in theaters of North America on October 3.