Dwayne Johnson gets emotional as ‘The Smashing Machine’ gets 15-minute standing ovation
- By Web Desk -
- Sep 03, 2025
Hollywood star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was moved to tears after his new film ‘The Smashing Machine’, the sports biopic of MMA legend Mark Kerr, received a 15-minute long standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival on Monday night.
American filmmaker Benny Safdie’s long-anticipated biopic of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, starring Dwayne Johnson as the UFC champion, along with Emily Blunt as his then-wife Dawn Staples, premiered at the ongoing Venice Film Festival on September 1, receiving a prolonged standing ovation from the audience.
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As the title garnered positive reviews and the audience continued to cheer and hoot for Johnson throughout the stretched 15-minute standing ovation, the longest one on the Lido this year, the 53-year-old ‘Black Adam’ star couldn’t hold back his tears and sobbed uncontrollably, while being hugged by Safdie and his co-star.
He was also joined by ‘The Smashing Machine’ director as well as the MMA legend himself in shedding tears of joy at what happened to be one of the most emotional premiere nights at the Venice film fest, since Brendan Fraser’s ‘The Whale’ four years ago.
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‘The Smashing Machine’ is scheduled for theatrical release on October 3.