Dwayne Johnson has a strong chance of making Oscars history in 2026 thanks to his role in The Smashing Machine. After becoming a WWE superstar under the name “The Rock,” Johnson made his acting debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns. Since his debut, he’s become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, starring in blockbusters like Moana and Furious 7.
He’s best known as an action star, but he’s taking the next step in becoming a more dramatic actor in A24’s The Smashing Machine. Written and directed by Benny Safdie, the upcoming sports biopic chronicles the career of Mark Kerr, a former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter. Johnson stars as Kerr, alongside Emily Blunt, who plays his then-wife Dawn Staples.
While Johnson has demonstrated dramatic acting chops before, he’s never fully committed to a role like he has for The Smashing Machine. The trailer for the A24 film shows the transformation he underwent to play Kerr, and he’s almost unrecognizable in the role. After early reviews were shared for the film, there’s a chance The Rock could achieve something no other wrestler has.
Dwayne Johnson Can Be The First Professional Wrestler To Earn An Oscar Nomination
Johnson is one of many professional wrestlers who transitioned into acting. One of the first was “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who delivered a bold and energetic performance in 1988’s They Live. However, The Rock may be the best to ever do it, even with strong compeтιтion from John Cena and Dave Bautista. Other wrestlers-turned-actors include Adam Copeland, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and Jesse Ventura.
Wrestlers are often seen as action or comedy actors, but recent performances have changed this notion. Bautista received praise for a small but powerful performance in Blade Runner 2049, and Cena is showcasing more of his range in DC’s Peacemaker. Still, no wrestler has ever received an Oscars nomination for acting.
The Smashing Machine recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival, receiving an over 15-minute standing ovation. The film currently holds an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Johnson’s performance being praised by many critics. Variety called his performance “extraordinary” and GQ said he is “emotionally transformed” in the role.
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If Johnson receives an Oscar nomination for The Smashing Machine, he will become the first professional wrestler to earn this achievement. Based on early reactions, Johnson is in early award talks, and it would be a career-defining moment for the veteran actor.
While Mickey Rourke received an acting nomination (Best Actor for The Wrestler), he wrestled at an amateur level, not professionally like The Rock, Bautista, and others.
The Academy loves giving nominations to actors who transform themselves for a role, such as Brendan Fraser in The Whale or Charlize Theron in Monster. Both these actors won for their performances, so maybe Johnson has a chance at taking home some gold. Still, it’s early in the award season, and other actors, like Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme, could become the favorites.
Even if Johnson doesn’t receive a nomination, he may have another chance in the near future. He recently joined the cast of Martin Scorsese’s unтιтled Hawaiian mob drama, starring alongside Blunt and Leonardo DiCaprio, and Scorsese knows how to direct actors correctly. The Smashing Machine could be just the beginning of The Rock’s future as a dramatic actor.
