Plenty of coming A24 movies have sparked attention this year, but one of the most notable is Benny Safdie’s sports biopic, The Smashing Machine. The October-bound film stars Dwayne Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr and tells the story of his career, addictions and relationship with Dawn Staples. For the role, Johnson agreed to dramatically bulking up to better portray the two-time UFC champ. Emily Blunt, who plays Staples, remembers his transformation completely in awe.
Though the film hasn’t had its public debut, the MMA biopic has been garnering a lot of attention. Its first screening was held at The Venice International Film Festival and there Johnson received a 15 minute standing ovation. Critics have agreed with the sentiment, praising the wrestler turned actor’s performance "scarily unstable". Now, in A24’s Official First Look of The Smashing Machine, Blunt recalls the surreal process of her fellow A-lister’s blockbuster appearance vanish:
