Dwayne Johnson reacts after Christopher Nolan praised his performance in THE SMASHING MACHINE

There’s a lot of initial chatter going around Benny Safdie’S The destructive machine it mostly revolved around Dwayne JohnsonThe dramatic transformation of the role. Subsequently, it moved towards slower-than-expected film box office numbers, which was surprising for a Johnson-led project.

But above all this noise silently rises a wave of praise for Johnson’s performance, including some high-profile admiration from none other than Christopher Nolan. And judging by Johnson’s reaction, those words meant a lot.

Supported by A24, The destructive machine it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, where it earned a standing ovation and took home the Silver Lion.

While public reactions have since been more mixed, Nolan reignited the critical conversation when he appeared on The Director’s Cut podcast for a chat with Safdie. During the discussion, Nolan dropped what might be one of the most flattering compliments of Johnson’s career:

“I think it’s an incredible performance. I don’t think you’ll see a better performance this year or most other years.”

This is high praise from a director who has directed extraordinary performances in numerous Oscar-winning films. Safdie himself was taken aback when he first heard Nolan’s comments, admitting during an interview with Variety at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala:

“It’s like we were talking, but I didn’t hear him say it. And it was really amazing, because come on!”

According to Johnson, Safdie wasted no time in sharing the news.

“You texted me when Nolan saw the film and said he was really moved by this film and what you did. It was truly incredible.”

When asked how it felt to receive such glowing praise from Nolan, Johnson admitted that it was something completely new to him, despite his long experience as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

“I am, I’m trying, but it’s new to me and it was really beautiful [Josh] I came off stage, gave him the biggest hug and gave Chris the biggest hug. And I said, “No one has ever said anything like that about me,” and it meant the world to me.

It feels like an honest moment for an artist who has spent decades at the top of the entertainment world, now finally recognized for a performance that delves deep beneath the muscles and charisma.

Fans are already speculating whether Nolan might one day cast Johnson in one of his projects The Odyssey envelops production. Even if no one knows, one thing is certain afterward The destructive machineJohnson proved he had greater reach than many had ever given him credit for.