Dwayne Johnson says he's been 'pigeonholed' as an action star: 'This is what Hollywood wants you to be' Raechal ShewfeltSeptember 4, 2025 at 2:21 AM 0 David Becker/WireImage Dwayne Johnson at CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made an impressive leap from pro wrestling star to big...
- - Dwayne Johnson says he's been 'pigeonholed' as an action star: 'This is what Hollywood wants you to be'
Raechal ShewfeltSeptember 4, 2025 at 2:21 AM
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David Becker/WireImage
Dwayne Johnson at CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made an impressive leap from pro wrestling star to big-screen action hero in the early aughts, but a part of him still wanted to show the world that there was more to him than big muscles and quippy remarks.
During an appearance at the Venice Film Festival this week to unveil his new drama The Smashing Machine, Johnson talked about feeling "pigeonholed" in Hollywood and trying to expand his horizons.
"I just had this burning desire and this voice that was saying, 'Well, again, what if?'" he told reporters as sat next to costar Emily Blunt and director Benny Safdie. "But what if there is more and what if I can? And a lot of times it's harder for us to, or at least for me, to know what you're capable of when you've been pigeonholed into something."
Hailing from the writer and director of 2019's Uncut Gems, The Smashing Machine is a biopic starring Johnson as MMA fighter Mark Kerr and Blunt as his then-wife, Dawn Staples. Reviews out of Venice have praised Johnson's performance, which shows a dramatic range that's not as apparent in his big-budget action flicks and crowd-pleasing comedies like the Fast and Furious and Jumanji movies.
Cheryl Dunn/A24
Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr in 'The Smashing Machine'
"When you're in Hollywood, as we all know, it had become about box office and you chase the box office," Johnson said. "And the box office in our business that we know is very loud and it can be very resounding, and it could push you into a category and into a corner. And 'This is your lane' and 'This is what you do' and 'This is what people want you to be' and 'This is what Hollywood wants you to be.'"
Johnson has at times given in to the pressure, and it's resulted in some mixed feelings about his career. "I liked them, and they were fun," he said, "and some were really good and did well, and some not so good."
With his latest film, which still features action along with the drama, Johnson is garnering early Oscar buzz.
When was asked if he felt he had anything left to prove to Hollywood when it comes to acting, he said no.
"I don't think it's anything to prove to Hollywood as much as it's just for me now," he mused. "And the truth is, I looked around a few years ago, and I started to think, 'Am I living my dream or am I living other people's dreams?'"
The realization left him with a choice.
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"You could either fall in line and go, 'Well, it's status quo. Things are good. I don't want to rock the boat,'" he said. "Or go, 'No, I I want to live my dreams now and do what I want to do and tap into the stuff that I want to tap into.' I have a place finally to put all this stuff that I've experienced in the past that I've shied away from, been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity to do this."
The Smashing Machine arrives in theater Oct. 3. Watch the video above for more, starting about an hour and 23 minutes in.
on Entertainment Weekly
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