High Praise for Dwayne Johnson

During the podcast, Nolan was accompanied by Benny Safdie, the director of *The Smashing Machine*. He described Johnson’s portrayal of Mark as “heartbreaking” and lauded it as “incredible.” He added, “Congratulations on the movie. It’s a truly remarkable piece of work.”

Connection to Oppenheimer

For those who might not know, Safdie played Edward Teller in Nolan’s film *Oppenheimer*. The connection continued as he cast Emily Blunt, who played Katherine Oppenheimer, in *The Smashing Machine* as well. Nolan humorously remarked about Safdie’s networking during their filming together, stating he was unaware Safdie was making *The Smashing Machine* concurrently.

About *The Smashing Machine*

Dwayne Johnson stars as two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr in *The Smashing Machine*, which explores his tumultuous career. Unfortunately, the movie has faced challenges at the box office, earning only $10 million domestically against a $50 million budget after a poor opening.