Posted on 09/01/2025 8:45:20 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
US actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has said he had a "burning desire" to make a different kind of film, after years of being "pigeon-holed" as a blockbuster star.
The 53-year-old could be in line for the first Oscar nomination of his career for his role in The Smashing Machine, which has just launched at the Venice Film Festival.
Johnson said playing UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the movie had "certainly changed my life", adding that the transformation was something he was "really hungry to do".
He told journalists: "I've been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity to do this."
Johnson, also known as The Rock from his own earlier career in wrestling, added he didn't think playing the role was "about anything to prove to Hollywood as much as it is for me, internally".
Variety's Owen Gleiberman described his performance as "a revelation", adding that he "seems like a new actor".
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
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What was it, Executive Decision? Steven Seagall was in it. Rather than be the hero, he ends up getting blown away in the first few minutes.
YEP
If Samuel L wants more serious roles then maybe he needs to expand his vocabulary rather than use the F bomb every 5 words. Just a thought. But hey he’s got millions so he did something right.
Most actors are enlargement of their personalities. He could probably do more than just action movies. But only as a variation to himself.
It is the very rare actor who can really act the part that isnt his personality.
Freekin funny!
Like Stallone and Arnold he plays roles where he’s not really acting. Action heroes.
He created his wrestling persona. Why would anyone think of him differently from what he presented himself? Did he protest the roles offered to him?
Also, he has had a dramatic weight loss. Did he stop taking steroids, is he taking ozempic, or is he suffering a health condition?
>
Concur. It’s not like he didn’t seek out big money rolls.
He’s getting too old to get banged around making action flicks.
This is all just an attempt to extend his relevance, same as an actress who got rich playing bimbos switching to feminist art house roles.
He has that same clueless, Neanderthal look as Hakeem Jeffries. I do believe Johnson has a 50 point higher I.Q. than Jeffries, maybe up around 85.
There’s my chuckle for the morning. :)
I did like him in the Jumanji movies.
He’s crying all the way to the bank.
Sounds like he doing porno...
Odd. I never heard of him or the movie.
You haven’t missed a thing. He’s awful and his movies are garbage.
Is that for real? LOL. Don’t know who he is, and have not seen any of those.
Wow. He’s starting to look like Al Roper.
LOL. What a shame. Do another film like Black Adam and you won't have to worry about being a blockbuster star anymore.
He was sort of a box office star, now he is not so he isn’t pigeon holed.
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