Dwayne Johnson: I was pigeon-holed as box office star

BBC ^ | Sep 2025 | Steven McIntosh

[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".

---

TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 1619project; blackkk; blackliesmanors; blackliesmatter; blacklivesmatter; blm; california; criticalracetheory; crt; dwaynejohnson; film; gavinnewsom; hollywood; kamalaharris; moviereviews; movies; nitwit; therock

[1Old Pro]

Kinda like Jason Statham.

[Lizavetta]

It's bad enough that revisionists have seen fit to give a black woman the role of Anne Boleyn, or a black woman portray the daughter-in-law of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's Lord Great Chamberlain, or a young black man as Henry VIII's son Edward VI, which have all happened.

And black actor Cynthia Erivo played Jesus Christ this year at the Hollywood Bowl.

[Noumenon]

https://youtu.be/-aqD5lHxjpY?si=gQaJsm9Guf_iI8Xr

[Racketeer]

I have only watched one movie with him in it. It is a movie called “Get Shorty”. Why someone would want to watch a movie whereas he is the leading character is very hard to believe.

[Bikkuri]

Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most racist black actors out there...

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Apollo 440 - Can’t Stop The Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pURJDToKA0k&list=RDpURJDToKA0k&start_radio=1

[packrat35]

[al baby]

He is such a bore

[Organic Panic]

Someone who started out raided up in “professional wrestling” wasn’t given roles in Shakespeare based movies? Golly.

[mass55th]

"And black actor Cynthia Erivo played Jesus Christ this year at the Hollywood Bowl."

I think someone here on FR posted an article about that with pictures. It looked like a faggot $hit show.

[mass55th]

"If Samuel L wants more serious roles then maybe he needs to expand his vocabulary rather than use the F bomb every 5 words."

LOL!! Yeah, he's not what you'd call a refined gentleman. He is in real life, what he portrays in the movies.

[Lizavetta]

I think someone here on FR posted an article about that with pictures. It looked like a faggot $hit show.

I'm inclined to agree.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

He’s pretty much adopted the “actor” talk. They talk about acting being a craft, and being courageous about exposing their emotion. Meanwhile, just about every watching a movie or TV show knows that it’s all pretend. Other actors are probably impressed though.

[mass55th]

LOL!! Thanks. It’s a good reminder of how evil and perverted the left is.

[Lizavetta]

He is lucky to have survived steroid use this long. it caught up with Arnold, wit multiple heart surgeries.

Do you think that's what took out Hulk Hogan?