Dwayne Johnson is almost unrecognisable in the first glimpse of his upcoming drama “The Smashing Machine,” directed by Benny Safdie and co-starring his “Jungle Cruise” screen partner Emily Blunt.
The film features Johnson as legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr, who battled addiction and marital issues while becoming a sport icon. Blunt stars as Dawn Staples, Kerr’s wife.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took drastic measures to transform into his latest role: He went from being bald to having a full head of hair. In the first-look image from “The Smashing Machine”, a Benny Safdie-directed biopic about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, the lead actor appears typically muscular as Kerr, but looks unrecognisable with a full head of dark hair and partial sideburns.
The make-up department appears to have added prosthetics to alter the shape of his face, enhancing the overall makeover.
Kerr was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and a World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner. Throughout his career, he won over two dozen MMA titles.
Johnson told Vanity Fair that he was drawn to “The Smashing Machine” because of director Benny Safdie’s commitment to creating and pushing the boundaries with stories that are raw and real, and characters that are authentic, sometimes uncomfortable, and compelling.
"I’m at a point in my career where I want to challenge myself in ways I haven’t before. I want to make films that matter, that delve into humanity, struggle, and pain.”
"The Smashing Machine" appears to represent a shift toward more dramatic, and potentially even Oscar-worthy, roles for Johnson after years of starring in action movies and comedies like the "Jumanji" and "Fast & Furious" films.
IOL Entertainment