Ryan Budder had to bending his acting skills in Dwayne Johnson’s next feature film.
Director Benny Safdie, one of the men behind 2019’s acclaimed 2019 Uncut gem Starring Adam Sandler, Smashing Machine You’ll see Johnson portraying former UFC and Pride FC fighter Mark Kerr. Also appearing in the film will be Bader, who plays the role of another combat sports icon, the mark “The Hammer” Coleman.
“I received a random call from Benny Safdy about this MMA film. After the audition I got the role of Mark Coleman,” Badder told Submission Radio, discussing his journey to acting. “I was playing legends like this that are part of my pedigree at MMA. The Wrestlers became fighter jets.
“The battle scenes were in my wheelhouse, but the dialogue and acting were completely new. Rock worked hard to pick up the skills of film wrestling and MMA, which looks rough and realistic.
The film also stars Emily Blunt.A quiet place, Man in autumn) Dawnstaples as Kerr’s then wife.
“Dwayne, as you know, is never allowed to actually disappear, not just because of his huge size, but who he is, and he is, and he is not recognised by this,” Brandt told Variety in December. “And it’s an incredibly intense film. Yes, it centers around the life of this real-life MMA fighter, Mark Kerr. All of his struggles with addiction, his relationships. Again, it was an incredibly immersive, very intense, very emotional experience.
Johnson and Blunt previously co-starred in 2021 Jungle CruiseBased on the appeal of Disneyland’s popular first day.
Ryan Budder joins many other combat sports stars Smashing Machine
Other combat sports stars featured in the project include incontroversial heavyweight boxing champion Olexandre Usyk, former UFC champion Basratten, Olympic gold medalist Ishii, and two-time U.S. Taekwondo National Champion James Muantri.
The principal photography produced by the A24 ran from May 21st to August 7th, 2024, and spanned locations in New Mexico, Tokyo, Vancouver and other locations.
Smashing Machine It is scheduled to appear in theaters in 2025.