Dwayne Johnson is having quite the year. After starring in the critically acclaimed Benny Safdie film, The Smashing Machine, the actor became a 2026 Golden Globe nominee. It’s a huge honor, and the first nomination of Johnson’s career. It’s a far cry from his box office fodder status, especially considering Smashing is a small drama film, and not his typical blockbuster action movie. This new career phase has meant the world to Johnson, and he recently shared that he was nervous when the nominations came out, but Ryan Coogler helped relax him.
During a recent red carpet interview with the Are You Okay Show, the Jumanji star revealed he had actually turned his phone off the day that the Golden Globe nominations came out, because he was so nervous. Eventually he decided to turn his phone on and he only heard one ding, which he thought indicated that he may not’ve gotten the nomination. In the Instagram video, he said:
I heard one bing and I thought, that can’t be good.
However, the situation wasn’t at all what he thought. Once he opened his phone, he sawBlack Pantherdirector Ryan Coogler’s text, telling him congratulations. With that, Johnson knew he scored the nomination:
That one bing actually represented a thousand texts, and it was amazing
This is such a cute story and I love that Coogler was able to deliver such special news. It’s bene lovely to see the Moana star soak in the love for his latest film. Johnson penned a lovely statement after receiving such a warm reception at The Venice Film Festival, and he couldn’t have been more touched to hear that Christopher Nolan enjoyed his performance as Mark Kerr. While box office success is commonplace for The Rock, this kind of praise towards his acting is a new level of success, and it’s sweet to see him enjoy this part of the business.
Dwayne Johnson seems to be keen on expanding his repertoire as an actor, too. He’s teaming up with Benny Safdie again for Lizard Music, in which he’ll play a 75-year-old man. This project will also mark another physical transformation for Johnson, who’s currently losing weight for the role. He’s also lined up another A24 movie, which is a thriller that will see him play an enigmatic self-help guru.
All in all, things are definitely look up for Johnson. The single text from Ryan Coogler, who is also a great talent, wasn’t just representative of the great achievement of a Golden Globe nomination. It also signified that he’s respected by others all around the movie business. Johnson truly transforms in The Smashing Machine, so it’s all well deserved. I hope he remembers this (and I also hope he and Coogler collaborate at some point in the future).
You can see Dwayne Johnson’s Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Smashing Machine, which is currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video. Fans of director Ryan Coogler can also check out his latest film, Sinners, which is now available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.
