LOS ANGELES: No one expects an action icon to enter the awards conversation, yet that is exactly where Dwayne Johnson finds himself today, and it is not by accident but a deliberate creative risk.

For years, Johnson was boxed into a brand, the unstoppable action superstar built for big moments and even bigger box office returns. Now he is challenging that identity, and the industry is paying attention.

In “The Smashing Machine,” Johnson steps into unfamiliar territory with a dramatic role backed by A24 and helmed by filmmaker Benny Safdie. It is the kind of project he describes as intimidating, not because of scale, but what it demanded emotionally.

In a recent exclusive interview, Johnson said: “The films I’ve made in the past that I’ve loved, they didn’t scare me, and there wasn’t a fear involved.

“But with this, this was different because it was not only a very dramatic role in an arthouse film from an arthouse studio in A24 with an auteur director and Benny Safdie.

“But it was also represented for me, an opportunity to do something that I never thought I could do.”

That framing explains the shift. The film marks a clear pivot, a performance that favors vulnerability over spectacle and intention over comfort. It is not a role chosen to repeat what already works but because it is difficult.

Johnson has also been increasingly direct about the balance he wants to represent on screen. Strength, he argues, does not require emotional distance. Vulnerability is not the opposite of masculinity but part of it.

“And in my opinion, it’s okay to be masculine. It’s important to be anchored in who you are. But it’s also important to know that in the same room, masculinity and vulnerability can coexist and they can breathe the same air, and it’s OK to cry.”

That message resonates because it mirrors the career moment. For an actor who built his dominance through power and certainty, choosing a role rooted in emotion reads as a real creative leap.

The response has been immediate. Awards chatter has grown louder, and, following a glowing reception at the Venice Film Festival, his Oscar potential was widely buzzed about.

At the same time, Johnson’s global profile continues to intersect with Saudi Arabia at a historic moment for international sports entertainment.

The WWE has confirmed that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Riyadh in 2027, marking the first time the company’s flagship event takes place outside North America.

As one of wrestling’s most iconic figures, Johnson has publicly welcomed the move, underscoring the scale of the event and its global significance.

“Well, I could tell you that I’m excited for the brand of WrestleMania.

“I’m excited for The Kingdom because that is a big show. And I’m also excited not only for the brand, but I’m excited for our athletes, to be able to participate in an event like that. And that is a global event.”

What makes this moment especially striking is how many worlds Johnson now occupies at once.

He is redefining himself on screen while remaining a central figure in global popular culture, from cinema to live international spectacle. Few stars operate simultaneously at this level across such different arenas.