Dwayne Johnson “hadn’t been challenged” before joining Benny Safdie’s movie to play former UFC champion

Dwayne Johnson who forged his career at WWE as one of the greatest superstars of all time, went on to become a Hollywood action megastar with several hit movies to complement his resume as an actor. However, Johnson has mostly appeared in movies strictly with action premise, sometimes comedy attached to the genre. However, it is all about to change as the wrestler-turned-actor is set to appear in the A24 movie The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie. About the movie, Johnson asserted that the role he played was the most challenging in his career as an actor.Also Read: “I’m the highest-paid first-time actor”: This UFC star broke into Hollywood shattering Dwayne Johnson’s astonishing recordDwayne Johnson has appeared in several action movies, sometimes breaking the genre limitation, he has made his career as an actor to be one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood. But so far, according to the WWE legend himself, he had not been challenged until he landed on Benny Safdie’s highly anticipated The Smashing Machine. The actor who is now in a press junket for his latest action comedy Red One, played former wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. Speaking of his role leading the movie, Johnson had a recent chat with GQ to share how the role pushed him to the edge of his limit.“It was also an opportunity for me, I realized, to stretch myself in ways that I hadn’t been stretched yet,” Johnson told the outlet. “And also challenge myself in ways that I hadn’t been challenged,” he added.The former WWE champion could resonate Kerr’s life to the early phases of his life before all the fame and making a $800 million fortune. “I didn’t have anybody to turn to. I didn’t have a mentor,” he continued. “I didn’t have a big brother. So it was like, Oh, I need to figure all this shit out on my own. So you figure out the shit on your own, and then the shit you don’t figure out, well, guess where it goes?” the actor added.It appears that Safdie who has acclaimed directorial credits including Uncut Gems, and Good Time (both the movies he directed with his brother Josh Safdie), hit a jackpot signing Johnson in for the role. “You really understand the fears, the love, the sadness, the happiness,” Safdie said. “If somebody’s open to doing that and talking about that stuff, then they’re going to be able to give a great performance. Because of how physically strong he is, I don’t know if a lot of people give him that opportunity,” the director added.Of course, Johnson has been on the top chart of one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood but with The Smashing Machine, it is not about the money, it has been, for the actor, a testament to test his prowess as an actor. “You start to realize that not only is it okay, but also if it fits the material, then it’s important,” Johnson said. The 52-year-old will appear alongside Emily Blunt who plays Kerr’s then-wife Dawn Staples.The Smashing Machine is scheduled for a 2025 release.Also Read: Dwayne Johnson's holiday action comedy lands frosty reception on Rotten Tomatoes despite stellar cast