Dwayne Johnson thought he finally had his Oscar moment. His role as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine earned rave reviews. Critics called it the best performance of his career. Many predicted a Best Actor nomination at the 98th Academy Awards. But when the nominations came out, Johnson’s name was missing.
Now, the actor is speaking openly about how much that snub hurt. In a new interview with Esquire, Johnson admitted the disappointment was real. But instead of slowing him down, it pushed him harder.
“It would have been incredible to get nominated for an Oscar. I realized very quickly that it’s a rare thing to reach this pinnacle where you’re even having these conversations. And it’s exciting! It would have been amazing. I wish it had happened. But it didn’t. In no uncertain terms did I ever think, ‘Oh, that doesn’t matter.’ I always thought it mattered. And it has lit a fire in my spine, which is: Let’s go back to work.”
The Smashing Machine Was Supposed to Be Johnson’s Big Awards Moment
The Smashing Machine hit theaters on October 3, 2025. Directed by Benny Safdie, the film tells the true story of Mark Kerr, a UFC legend who battled painkiller addiction during his rise in the 1990s. Emily Blunt starred alongside Johnson as Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples.
The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2025. It received a 15.5-minute standing ovation and won the Silver Lion for Best Director. Johnson’s transformation was the talk of the festival. He stepped away from his usual action hero roles to play a broken, struggling fighter. He looked different. He sounded different. He acted different.
Even legendary director Christopher Nolan praised the performance. On The Director’s Cut podcast, Nolan said, “I think it’s an incredible performance. I don’t think you’ll see a better performance this year or in most other years.”
The film earned Golden Globe nominations for Johnson (Best Actor – Drama) and Blunt (Best Supporting Actress). At the Academy Awards, the film received a nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. But the Best Actor nomination many expected never came.
How the Snub Affected Johnson
Johnson did not pretend the snub did not bother him. Some actors brush off awards season disappointments with polite words. Johnson chose honesty instead.
He told Esquire that once the Oscar conversations started, the possibility became exciting. The idea of being recognized by the Academy meant something real to him. When that recognition did not arrive, he felt it.
The snub reportedly “lit a fire” in him. That fire is pushing him back to work. Johnson said his only response to missing out on the nomination is to keep making movies and keep chasing roles that challenge him.
The film struggled at the box office too. Made on a $50 million budget, The Smashing Machine earned only about $21 million worldwide. That made it one of Johnson’s lowest-grossing movies as a lead actor. Critics gave it solid reviews, with a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it a “B-” CinemaScore. But the commercial failure did not stop Johnson from defending the project.
“In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results — but what I realized you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity. Truth is this film has changed my life.”
Johnson Already Has His Next Serious Role Lined Up
The fire from the Oscars snub is not going to waste. Johnson is already preparing his next move. He will reunite with director Benny Safdie for a new film called Lizard Music.
Details about Lizard Music remain limited. But Johnson’s comments suggest he is not going back to only big-budget action movies. He wants more roles that let him disappear into characters. He wants another shot at the awards conversation.
The actor also opened up to Esquire about a personal health scare. Early in the year, Johnson found a lump on one of his testicles. Doctors raised the possibility of cancer and scheduled an ultrasound for the next day. Johnson spent roughly 24 hours not knowing the diagnosis while still fulfilling press duties for another project. He had to make jokes and give speeches while waiting for news that could change his life.
The lump turned out to be epididymitis, an inflammation, not cancer. Johnson told the story to emphasize that health scares put everything in perspective. But even with that perspective, the Oscar snub still stung.
What Fans Are Saying About Johnson’s Honest Reaction
Fans on social media have mostly supported Johnson’s openness. Many agreed that he deserved at least a nomination for his work in The Smashing Machine. Others respected that he did not pretend the snub did not matter.
One fan wrote, “Finally an actor being real about awards. They all care. He just said it out loud.” Another posted, “That fire is gonna give us something special next time. Watch.”
Some critics pointed out that the Academy rarely nominates actors known primarily for blockbuster action movies. The history of wrestlers-turned-actors getting Oscar nominations is very short. Dave Bautista has not been nominated. John Cena has not been nominated. Only Dave Bautista received some critics’ awards attention for Blade Runner 2049 and Knock at the Cabin, but no Oscar nomination.
Still, Johnson’s performance in The Smashing Machine was different. He did not just play a version of himself. He became Mark Kerr. For many viewers, that should have been enough.
Also Read:
What This Means for Johnson’s Future Movies
Johnson is currently filming live-action scenes for Moana 2. He also has several other projects in development. But his comments make one thing clear. He wants another Oscar-worthy role.
The actor told Esquire that he has changed how he thinks about his career. He realized that some conversations — like Oscar conversations — do not happen very often. When they do happen, they mean something. He is not ignoring that anymore.
His partnership with Benny Safdie seems to be the key. Safdie is known for intense, character-driven films like Uncut Gems and Good Time. He pushes actors to uncomfortable places. Johnson clearly wants more of that.
The Smashing Machine did not get Johnson his Oscar nomination. But it may have started a new chapter in his career. A chapter where the biggest action star in the world keeps chasing smaller, harder, more personal roles. And if that fire in his spine keeps burning, the Academy might not ignore him next time.
Also Read: Who Is Wade Griffin? Taylor Parker’s Ex-Boyfriend Speaks in Netflix’s Maternal Instinct
Stay connected with VvipTimes for the latest breaking news on Dwayne Johnson, awards season updates, and everything in Hollywood.
