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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson recently experienced an emotional moment at Venice Film Festival, when his movie The Smashing Machine received a 15-minute standing ovation. The actor, who portrays UFC legend Mark Kerr in the movie, suddenly became overwhelmed with emotions and broke down in front of the crowd. The clips and glimpses from the theatre show Dwayne wiping away his tears and the crowd offers thunderous applause.

Dwayne Johnson cries during the 15-minute standing ovation for his new movie ‘THE SMASHING MACHINE’ pic.twitter.com/Z5i42al7Ji

— Cinematic Visuals (@P0eticVisuals) September 2, 2025

The actor attended the screening with his co-star Emily Blunt, director Benny Safdie and Mark Kerr himself. Many have compared the moment with the standing ovation Brendan Fraser received for The Whale, four years ago. Fraser later went on to win an Academy Award for the movie.

In one of his social media posts from Venice, Johnson acknowledged the greatness of the film festival. He noted, “Act like you’ve been there. Trying to stay cool and absorb every second of every moment. #venice.”

The movie is slated to release in the theatres on October 3, 2025. The reactions in Venice confirm that Dwayne Johnson is on his way to give a career-defining performance. Fans on social media have been discussing about his dedication to the project. Interestingly, Johnson also went through a dramatic physical transformation to channel Kerr. He stepped away from his usual action avatar and embraced a leaner frame.