UFC Legend Mark Kerr Talks Upcoming Biopic With Joe Rogan
To promote his upcoming biopic starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the real-life “Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr joined UFC commentator Joe Rogan on his podcast. The film was originally announced five years ago during the pre-fight press conference for UFC 244, which featured the inaugural BMF title fight.
Director Benny Safdie is leading the project. He is best known for his previous work on Good Time starring Robert Pattinson, and more recently, the critically acclaimed Uncut Gems featuring Adam Sandler. This will be Benny’s first major film that does not include his brother Josh Safdie, who co-directed their past projects. Josh is currently developing his own highly anticipated film Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet.
While appearing on the most popular podcast in the world, Mark Kerr, the 1997 UFC 15 Heavyweight Tournament winner, spoke with Joe Rogan about what it feels like to have a major motion picture based on his life.
Mark Kerr and Dwayne Johnson Push for Authenticity in Upcoming Biopic
Referring to Dwayne Johnson as “DJ,” Mark Kerr was complimentary, telling Rogan:
“He’s at a place in his life where he can just keep doing blockbusters and be perfectly fine with it. There’s always a place for that, but he needed to do something different.”
This role may be the most serious of Dwayne Johnson’s acting career. The film is based on the cult documentary The Smashing Machine, released in 2002. Hardcore MMA fans are already well-versed in Mark Kerr’s Hall of Fame career, but with the biopic set to release on October 3, his story is about to reach a global audience.
“He did an amazing job,” Kerr told Rogan, “and Emily [Blunt] is unbelievable.”
Joe replied with a laugh:
“She plays such a crazy bitch. She’s so good at playing crazy that it gave me anxiety.”
Kerr went on to describe what it was like watching the completed film for the first time at the Venice Film Festival.
“It was like therapy,” said Kerr. “For the first time, I could see my part in it. I could see how fucking hard I was on the people around me. How singularly driven I was to accomplish something at all costs. The person that paid for it the most was Dawn. She paid a heavy price.”
Joe praised The Smashing Machine for its realism, especially when compared to other combat sports films such as the Oscar-nominated Foxcatcher.
“That movie had a lot of shenanigans,” Rogan said. “He fought Big Daddy Goodridge in his one MMA fight, but in the movie, he’s fighting some Russian dude.”
Mark Kerr added:
“Benny, from the beginning, said the only way we’re going to be able to do this is with authenticity. To the point where I sent them watches, rings, necklaces, posters. Everything I could find to their props and production team.”
Not since Tom Hardy’s Warrior in 2011 has a major movie star portrayed an MMA fighter in such a serious light. While films like Here Comes the Boom and the acclaimed series Kingdom have touched on the sport, The Smashing Machine arrives with a level of industry buzz and dramatic weight rarely seen in MMA storytelling.
Boxing films have long been a respected subgenre in cinema. With The Smashing Machine, Dwayne Johnson may have opened the door for MMA to finally take its place on the big screen with a story worthy of the spotlight.
