Dwayne Johnson Reveals Heartbreaking Toll of Losing 15 Friends to Addiction and Suicide
Dwayne Johnson recently opened up about the personal losses that shaped his latest project, “The Smashing Machine.”
Speaking to Variety on the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet, Johnson revealed that over the past 20 years, he lost “exactly 15 friends to addiction and sucide who just couldn’t handle depression.” He described how those experiences influenced his work on the film, which tells the story of MMA fighter Mark Kerr and his battle with opioid addiction.
“You discover a greater sense of empathy because I also realized that… you know, reminds me of that great quote where they say, ‘Hey, you know who’s really going through some s**** right now?’ And you say, ‘Oh, say who?’ ‘Everybody. We’re all going through s*****’” Johnson said, reflecting on the emotional journey the project gave him.
Dwayne Johnson reveals that he has lost 15 friends to addiction and suicide over the past two decades and says that “The Smashing Machine” taught him that “we're all going through sh*t.” pic.twitter.com/kVzm7y1yzF
— Variety (@Variety) December 18, 2025
Earlier, he told The Hollywood Reporter that some of his friends “OD’d, some decided to check out. Life was too hard,” and called the film “a love letter to those that I just talked to you about.” Johnson added that working on the documentary adaptation helped him understand the struggles of addiction on a deeper level and brought a new sense of purpose to his work.
Johnson, known for blockbuster hits like Fast and Furious, Jumanji, and Red Notice, said that despite his commercial success, he had been seeking projects that challenged him emotionally.
That desire led him back to the 2002 documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr. “I’d love to make this a movie,” he recalled thinking, though he initially questioned if he was ready. The familiarity with the gyms and the fighter’s circles helped him relate to the story.
“I was familiar with the legend of Mark Kerr, but I didn’t know he had spiraled so badly with his addictions and his overdoses. I unfortunately had a lot of friends who were addicted to painkillers at that time, and I sadly lost a lot of them,” Johnson shared.
To portray the role authentically, Johnson worked closely with director Benny Safdie, co-star Emily Blunt, and makeup artist Kazu Hiro. He spent four hours daily in prosthetics, which challenged him to “understand what it means to be in somebody else’s skin.” The Venice Film Festival premiere was a highly emotional moment for Johnson, who admitted, “I couldn’t hold back my emotions and I couldn’t stop crying.”
This project shows a more vulnerable side of Johnson, revealing how deeply personal experiences can influence an actor’s choice of roles. His openness highlights the importance of mental health awareness and the toll of addiction.
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