Actor and wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson said that the ‘pain feels pretty good’ as he revealed his injury (Picture: Instagram; A24)
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has shared a look at his wince-inducing injury from the set of his new film.
The WWE superstar and Black Adam actor, who is one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood, is currently busy filming a wrestling biopic in which he plays MMA legend Mark Kerr and reunites onscreen with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt.
However, he revealed on Tuesday that things were a little less than smooth sailing after he got ‘banged up pretty good’ during the shoot, showing off the painful result of the fight scenes.
‘As you guys know, I’m filming a movie called The Smashing Machine and anytime your film is called The Smashing Machine, well, you’re kind of going to get smashed up,’ he quipped in a clip posted to his Instagram.
Pointing to his swollen elbow, he revealed: ‘Look at that sucker right there. It looks like I have a cantaloupe in the bottom of my elbow!’
As he continued to prod at the fluid-filled lump, he explained: ‘I got banged up pretty good today in our scenes, and there might be some soft tissue damage in there.’
Johnson had banged up his elbow while filming for his upcoming movie The Smashing Machine (Picture: Instagram/@therock)
The 52-year-old, who is returning to his popular role of Maui for Moana 2, shared that there was ‘a lot of fluid’ that had to ‘get out of there’ before he could get ‘any kind of MRI’.
‘The pain feels pretty good – but all good. It is what it is until it isn’t,’ he said to camera, before adding with a laugh: ‘I remember my old man used to say, God rest his soul, ‘The Soulman’ – he was an old-school pro wrestler, old-school bodybuilder – he always used to say, “A day without pain is like a day without sunshine, boy”.’
As someone who is well versed in injuries, the recently unretired wrestling veteran rattled some of the past ones off, which included tearing a few major muscles ‘off his pelvis’, as well as his ‘entire abdomen wall’.
He’s also previously experienced four knee surgeries, ruptures in his back and boasts an ‘entirely reconstructed shoulder’.
Nonetheless, he asked his followers for ‘any advanced advice’ in handling the new damage he’d sustained to his body.
The 52-year-old star, who has had an illustrious Hollywood and WWE career, recently returned to wrestling himself (Picture: Getty)
He is playing legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr in the film (Picture: A24)
The Fast and Furious star also couldn’t resist segueing into a cheeky promotional spot for his new tequila brand Teremana, calling it his ‘favourite’ anti-inflammatory and observing after he took a sip that ‘even with all the advanced medicine that’s out there’, his elbow was ‘feel[ing] better already’.
Fans were quick to offer their support to Johnson and his recovery, with influencer Eloise Head joking: ‘Speedy recovery for the people’s elbow.’
Brazilian jiu-jitsu professional Roberto ‘Cyborg’ Abreu commented: ‘Result of all the tough rounds. 🏆 Feel better soon my brother!’
Kerr, pictured in 2000, after winning a heavyweight UFC championship (Picture: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Written and directed by Uncut Gems’ Benny Safdie, Smashing Pumpkins will delve into Kerr’s struggles with addiction and his marriage to wife Dawn Staples (Blunt) as he rose to fame and MMA glory.
It’s thought to focus on the year 2000, and Kerr, now 55, has even helped Johnson prep for the role.
The A24 movie also stars Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, MMA star Ryan Bader, Lyndsey Gavin and Zoe Kosovic.
The Smashing Machine is currently scheduled to release in US cinemas in December 2024.
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