In the months leading up to the release of The Smashing Machine on the 2025 movie schedule, there was a lot a talk about Dwayne Johnson’s transformation to play UFC and PRIDE legend Mark Kerr. Johnson not only lived up to the hype in the performance of a lifetime, but he exceeded it in every way imaginable. I don’t have a say in picking nominations for any of the upcoming awards shows, but I’ll be shocked if the wrestler-turned-actor does get a few nods when it’s all said and done.
However, after watching Benny Safdie’s hard-hitting and emotionally gruelling sports biopic, there’s another performance I hope people start celebrating. No, it’s not Emily Blunt’s Dawn Staples or Bas Rutten playing himself (though both are great). It's Ryan Bader’s portrayal of Mark Coleman, Kerr’s longtime friend, coach, and competitor.
