Dwayne Johnson may be Hollywood's tough guy, but the iconic actor showcased his softer side while discussing his late father at the Venice Film Festival. The 53-year-old, who is starring in Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine , opened up about playing former MMA fighter Mark Kerr, and explained that the athlete is a "walking contradiction…at one time the greatest fighter on the planet, but also kind, gentle, tender, empathetic". Dwayne revealed that while preparing for the role, he surprisingly took no inspiration from his late father, Rocky Johnson.

A fraught dynamic

Rocky was a Canadian professional wrestler who was the first Black NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion and enjoyed a successful career in the ring throughout the '70s and '80s. "I don't think my dad was an inspiration in

See Full Page