The Rock Lands Golden Globe Nomination for Flop Film The Smashing Machine

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson just turned a box office failure into a major awards season victory.

Despite The Smashing Machine pulling in only $19 million on a $50 million budget, Johnson has been nominated for “Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” at the Golden Globes. The nomination comes amid his ongoing absence from WWE TV and marks one of the most prestigious nods of his acting career.

The film, which stars Johnson as real-life MMA legend Mark Kerr, was a dramatic shift from his usual blockbuster territory. While the role drew strong critical praise at festivals, it failed to connect financially with wider audiences. Still, Johnson’s performance resonated where it counted—with awards voters.

The Golden Globe nomination puts Johnson alongside industry heavyweights including Joel Edgerton, Oscar Isaac, Michael B. Jordan, Wagner Moura, and Jeremy Allen White. Emily Blunt also scored a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the same film, further boosting its awards profile.

Directed by Benny Safdie—who previously won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival—The Smashing Machine demanded a major physical and emotional transformation from Johnson. He packed on 30 pounds of muscle and tapped into a deeper, darker emotional range than fans are used to seeing.

Even without WWE appearances to promote him, Johnson’s name is dominating headlines again—this time in Hollywood’s most competitive season.