The Rock not among Academy Award nominees
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is still chasing his first Academy Award nomination.
Despite critical praise for his performance in The Smashing Machine, Johnson is not listed among the nominees for the 2026 Academy Awards. The five spots in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category instead went to Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, and Wagner Moura.
The Smashing Machine did receive one nomination, which was for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. The movie was released in October 2025 and tells the real-life story of MMA legend Mark Kerr, including his battle with addiction, road to sobriety, and relationship with his ex-wife Dawn. Johnson and Emily Blunt star in the two leading roles.
By taking on the project, Johnson wanted to expose Kerr’s story to a larger audience and provide encouragement to anyone battling similar demons. He also wanted to test his range as an actor and show he was capable of more than he’s displayed previously.
Johnson was nominated for a Golden Globe but lost out to Moura, who starred in The Secret Agent.
Upcoming roles for Johnson include Lizard Music (from Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie), as well as new projects in the Jumanji and Moana franchises.
When we’ll see Johnson on WWE programming next remains to be seen, but he recently mentioned “good” conversations regarding a possible appearance at WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia next year.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.