Dwayne Johnson, Benny Safdie, and Emily Blunt reveal the awkward moment that led to The Smashing Machine
At a glance, it makes sense why Dwayne Johnson would want to make The Smashing Machine . A biographical drama about UFC fighter Mark Kerr, the new film from writer/director Benny Safdie explores the highs and lows in the ring and beyond it. But it wasn't Safdie, the celebrated co-helmer of Uncut Gems , that came to Johnson. It was the other way around. And yet the movie almost didn't happen, except for an awkward moment Safdie shared with his Oppenheimer co-star Emily Blunt. How did all of this lead to a hard-hitting drama that has critics praising Johnson's dramatic chops? Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko spoke with Johnson, Safdie, and Blunt during a virtual junket, and learned how one vulnerable question and a missing sweater played an unexpected role in The Smashing Machine coming to life. Considering the intensity of MMA fighting, Johnson felt the energy from Uncut Gems would be a good fit for Kerr's story. So, they met in 2019 to talk about it, a...