Dwayne Johnson may have missed out on an Oscar nomination, but the snub seems to have done something else entirely.
It fired him up.
The 54-year-old actor and former WWE superstar earned some of the strongest reviews of his career for playing MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s ‘The Smashing Machine.’ The performance gave Johnson his first Golden Globe nomination and put him firmly in the awards conversation.
The Oscar nomination, though, never came.
Dwayne Johnson Says Oscar Snub Hurt
“An Oscar nomination would have been incredible,” Johnson told Esquire.
He said the experience taught him how rare it is to even be part of that kind of awards talk.
“I quickly realized how rare it is to even be in the conversation for such an honor,” he said. “It’s thrilling.”
Still, Johnson did not pretend the miss meant nothing.
“I never once thought, Oh, that doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’ve always known it matters.”
Then came the line that says exactly where his head is now.
“And it has ignited a fire within me,” Johnson said.
‘The Smashing Machine’ Changed His Career Conversation
‘The Smashing Machine’ did not become a box office giant, but it changed how many people viewed Johnson as an actor.
Playing Mark Kerr gave him a heavier, more vulnerable role than audiences usually expect from the man behind blockbuster franchises. Emily Blunt co-starred, and Safdie won Best Director at the Venice Film Festival.
The 2026 Best Actor Oscar field was stacked. Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Wagner Moura, Ethan Hawke and winner Michael B. Jordan all made the final cut.
Johnson did not. But he does not sound finished chasing that level of work.
Johnson Has Bigger Acting Plans Ahead
Johnson still has major studio projects coming, including Disney’s live-action ‘Moana’ and ‘Jumanji: Open World.’
But he is also developing more serious films.
He told Esquire he has three major projects in the works, including another collaboration with Safdie. He is also linked to upcoming films with Darren Aronofsky and Martin Scorsese.
Safdie praised Johnson’s depth as a film student, saying the actor could connect Jimmy Stewart’s work in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ to Mark Kerr.
“I realized I could challenge Dwayne with any task,” Safdie said.
For Johnson, the Oscar miss may not be the end of the story. It may be the thing that pushes him into a much more interesting chapter.
