The Rock Breaks Down Why His First Golden Globe Nomination Means So Much

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has finally earned the first Golden Globe nomination of his acting career—and now he’s opening up about the deeply personal reasons why this moment means everything.

Johnson was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his role as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a performance that required both physical transformation and emotional vulnerability. The film may have underperformed at the box office, pulling in only $19 million on a $50 million budget, but Johnson’s portrayal hit home with awards voters. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, The Rock explained exactly why this nomination carries so much weight for him:

“A few things. One of them is the importance of listening to the little voice that sits behind your rib cage, that at times whispers to you, and at times pounds on your chest to say that you can do more, and there is more, and it can be scary. And it might be scary because it will require you to step out of a comfort zone. And when things are good, you don’t want to step out of that zone, because it’s going good. But there was more: I wanted to really push and challenge myself and chase that challenge.”

The role of Kerr was a passion project for Johnson, one he’s been trying to bring to life for over seven years. And after pouring himself into the performance, the recognition now feels like something far greater than just industry acknowledgment.

“It represents believing in and listening to that little voice, and also doing the work, even when it’s scary, and surrounding yourself with like-minded people who are chasing the challenge as well. That would be Benny, Emily and Kazu, who helped with this transformation every day.”

But the most emotional part of his comments came when Johnson revealed how personal Kerr’s story of addiction and recovery hit for him—and how it connects to people he’s lost in his own life.

“The nomination represents the fight in everybody, especially with addictions and those demons that you battle. Mark Kerr had it all and lost everything, and then has since become sober. He did overdose twice. Life is good because he’s sober and because he made it. Not everyone is that lucky. That’s the movie that we wanted to make: a nod to those who fight.”

“Last week, I thought, ‘Let me take a tally here.’ Over the last years, I’ve lost 15 friends who are all wrestlers and fighters to addiction. Some OD’d, some decided to check out. Life was too hard. It shook me, and then it restabilized me in a way like, ‘Okay, I’m so happy we made this film.’ It is a love letter to those that I just talked to you about. That’s why this nomination means so much.”

Even with no recent WWE appearances to fuel buzz, The Rock is once again commanding attention—this time for a raw, human story that clearly means more to him than any blockbuster ever could.

Do you think The Smashing Machine will finally earn The Rock the awards-season recognition he’s been chasing? Share your thoughts and reactions in the comment section below.