The Rock breaks down in tears as new movie receives emotional 15-minute standing ovation
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's new movie is creating serious buzz, and could land Hollywood's highest-paid star a coveted Oscar nomination.
The WWE icon has already made waves at the Venice Film Festival by showing off a dramatic new look, and stunned fans with a slimmer frame over the weekend.
On Monday night, it was his upcoming picture that stole the headlines.
The Smashing Machine, A24's biographical drama that sees Johnson take on the lead role of troubled MMA fighter Mark Kerr, received a 15-minute standing ovation on the Lido.
It was one of the longest ovations of this year's festival so far, and left even The Rock emotional.
Footage shared on social media showed a tearful Johnson taking in the applause as he stood alongside co-star Emily Blunt, who plays the role of Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn Staples.
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The Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie hugged both his stars and joined The Rock in shedding tears as the clapping continued, while Kerr himself also cried during the credits.
According to Variety, the movie had one of the most emotional Venice Film Festival premieres since Brendan Fraser famously broke down in tears back in 2021, as he launched his Oscar campaign for The Whale.
Now, Johnson could be set to make the Academy Award shortlist himself.
But while a 15-minute ovation left the Hollywood star in tears, one wrestling fan provided some comic relief on Monday night.
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Fan shouts The Rock's famous catchphrase at Venice Film Festival
As Johnson took his seat in the theatre, a man shouted: "If you smell what The Rock is cookin'?"
The catchphrase was a staple of the wrestler's mic work in WWE, and made the man himself smile in Venice.
All these years later, after a legendary in-ring career, and The Rock could well be cooking an Oscar nomination.
What are reviews of The Smashing Machine saying?
The Smashing Machine follows the story of Kerr, an acclaimed freestyle wrestler who transitions to UFC.
Set between 1997 and 2000, the movie gets its title from the 'Smashing Machine' nickname given to Kerr after one of his UFC tournament victories, and will also tackle his struggle with addition to painkillers and opioids.
Early reviews have praised Johnson's work, with Variety's chief film critic Owen Gleiberman describing his performance as 'a revelation'.
"He seems like a new actor," Gleiberman wrote.
The Smashing Machine currently has an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Johnson admitted he had a desire to make a different kind of movie after years of being 'pigeon-holed' by Hollywood.
"I've been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity to do this," he told journalists in Venice.
"When you're in Hollywood, as we all know, it had become about box office and you chase the box office. And the box office in our business is very loud.
"It can push you into a corner and category, 'This is your lane, this is what you do, and this is what people want you to be and this is what Hollywood wants you to be'.
"And I understood that, and I made those movies and I liked them and they were fun, and some were really good and did well, and some not so good.
"But I think what I did realise is I just had this burning desire and this voice that was just saying, 'What if there's more?'
"Sometimes it's hard to know what you're capable of when you've been pigeon-holed into something. It's harder to know, 'Wait, can I do that? I feel like I can'. And sometimes it takes people who you love and respect to say: 'You can.'"
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The Smashing Machine is set for release on October 3.
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