Dwayne Johnson Reacts After Christopher Nolan Praises His Performance in THE SMASHING MACHINE

A lot of early talk around Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine mostly revolved around Dwayne Johnson’s dramatic transformation for the role. Later, it shifted toward the film’s slower-than-expected box office numbers, which was surprising for a Johnson-led project.

But quietly rising above all that noise is a wave of praise for Johnson’s performance, including some high-profile admiration from none other than Christopher Nolan. And judging from Johnson’s reaction, those words meant a lot.

Backed by A24, The Smashing Machine premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, where it earned a standing ovation and took home the Silver Lion.

While audience reactions have been more mixed since then, Nolan reignited the critical conversation when he appeared on The Director’s Cut podcast for a chat with Safdie. During the discussion, Nolan dropped what may be one of the most flattering compliments of Johnson’s career:

“I think it’s an incredible performance. I don’t think you’ll see a better performance this year or most other years.”

That’s high praise coming from a filmmaker who’s directed powerhouse performances across multiple Oscar-winning films. Safdie himself was taken off guard when he first heard Nolan’s comments, admitting during an interview with Variety at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala:

“It’s like, we talk, but I hadn’t hear him say that. And that was just really unbelievable, because come on!”

According to Johnson, Safdie wasted no time sharing the news.

“You had texted me when Nolan had watched the movie and said he was really moved by this film and what you did. It was just really incredible.”

When asked how it felt to receive such glowing praise from Nolan, Johnson admitted it was something entirely new to him, despite his long run as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

“I am, I’m trying to, but it’s new for me, and it was really beautiful. When [Josh] came off the stage, I gave him the biggest hug, and I gave Chris the biggest hug. And I said, ‘No one’s ever said anything like that about me,’ and it meant so much to me.”

This feels like an honest moment from a performer who’s spent decades at the top of the entertainment world, now finally being recognized for a performance that digs deep beneath the muscle and charisma.

Fans are already speculating whether Nolan might one day cast Johnson in one of his own projects after The Odyssey wraps production. While that’s anyone’s guess, one thing’s for sure, after The Smashing Machine, Johnson has proven he’s got more range than most ever gave him credit for.