Dwayne Johnson Addresses Oscar Snub for The Smashing Machine

Dwayne Johnson has publicly reacted to being overlooked for an Academy Award for his role in The Smashing Machine. The A24 drama from Benny Safdie, about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, had been positioned to change perceptions of Johnson's career, and he admitted the omission stung.

"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 happened. But it didn't.

But 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 film opened to a career-worst $5.9 million and went on to about $21 million worldwide against a $50 million budget, and Johnson's name was absent from the Oscar nominees announced in January.

dwayne johnson, oscar snub, academy award, smashing machine, benny safdie, a24, mark kerr, mma fighter, box office, film budget