Nerdophiles enjoyed an exclusive interview with Mark Kerr, mixed martial artist, wrestling legend, and one of the founding fathers of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Kerr is now the subject of the highly anticipated A24 film The Smashing Machine, which brings his life to the big screen. Portrayed by Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam), the film follows three pivotal years of Kerr’s journey—his relationship with then-girlfriend Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada), his brotherhood with fellow UFC pioneer Mark Coleman (played by real-life MMA fighter Ryan Bader), and his path toward sobriety after devastating losses.
Kerr spoke with us candidly about collaborating with Johnson to bring this version of his story to life, what grace looks like for him today, the lessons resilience taught him, and so much more.
Johnson embodies Kerr in a role he was seemingly born to play, having himself risen from iconic pro-wrestler to global box office superstar. While Johnson hired a professional trainer to prepare for the physical demands of the role, he worked directly with Kerr to capture the emotional beats with authenticity.
On providing that background for Johnson, Kerr shared: “A lot of what I talked to Dwayne about was emotional context, not so much my speech pattern or cadence. He went and got a trained professional to help him with the mannerisms and more. Thankfully, my son Bryce saw the movie two or three months ago, and he’s the one who gave me confirmation that DJ had nailed it. I told DJ that maybe I couldn’t see the forest for the trees, but when my son called me and said he had my mannerisms, he talks like you. That confirmation was the holy shit moment for me.”
One of the film’s most pivotal moments—and a turning point in Kerr’s own life—is his first major loss, the ripple effects it had on his mental health, and the realization that sobriety would require a support system stronger than sheer willpower.
On what the first loss taught him about resilience, he told us: “It taught me that I can’t do it alone. A lot of where I was in my training and in my life is that I felt like I was on this island, that I had to do everything by myself. And understanding, putting trust in somebody is a huge deal, especially at that level of competition. I had to put trust that somebody could see things that I couldn’t. So, after that loss, I realized I needed to trust somebody and just follow directions. This approach simplified things for me and allowed me to be present in new and necessary ways.”
And Central to that support and trust required for Kerr to thrive in the business was Coleman. The film highlights the deep brotherhood between the two men, with Coleman being a steadfast presence through both Kerr’s highs and lows.
On where his relationship with Coleman stands today, he said: “Mark and I’s roads to sobriety were on different timelines. So, in those spaces where he wasn’t sober and I was, we didn’t have as strong a connection. But in the last couple of years, through this whole process, we’ve rekindled the friendship we had. I’ve known him since 1988, and the first time I met him, I actually competed against him. Our friendship is one where we can go 10 years without talking, and then pick up the phone and have a conversation like we’ve talked every single day. So, there’s always that connection, love, and respect between us.”
By the film’s end, what struck me most was that it was not only rooted in Kerr finding grace for himself but also receiving it from others. On what grace looks like in his life now, Kerr remarked: “Oh man, grace now in my life looks like being present and being in the moment that helps give me perspective. And when I get perspective, it helps keep me grounded, and that’s one of the harder things for me to do.”
He continued: “It took me forever to give myself forgiveness, to give myself grace. And grace is given to those who are undeserving. That’s why it’s grace. And for a lot of my life, I felt I was undeserving of it. And now that I’ve allowed myself to accept it, it’s just allowed me to be present in a moment that.”
Catch Mark Kerr’s Story On The Big Screen When The Smashing Machine Hits Theaters On October 3rd!
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