‘I always thought it mattered’: Dwayne Johnson says Oscars snub for The Smashing Machine ‘lit a fire in my spine’
When The Smashing Machine released last year, most critics called it the best performance of Dwayne Johnson‘s career. Many predicted an Oscar for the wrestler-turned-actor. However, Dwayne was eventually not even nominated for Best Actor at the 2026 Oscars. In a recent interview, the Hollywood star addressed the Oscars snub, saying it fuelled him to return to work. Dwayne Johnson in a still from The Smashing Machine. Dwayne Johnson on his Oscars snub In a recent interview with Deadline, Dwayne admitted that his performance in The Smashing Machine being overlooked by the Academy affected him. “It would have been incredible to get nominated for an Oscar. I realised very quickly that it’s a rare thing to reach this pinnacle where you’re even having these conversations. And it’s exciting! It would have been amazing. I wish it had happened. But it didn’t,” the actor said. Dwayne Johnson did not downplay the significance of an Oscar nomination or his reaction to the eventual snub. “In no uncertain terms did I ever think, Oh, that doesn’t matter. I …
