Kerr signs with Innovative Artists as The Smashing Machine debuts

Dwayne Johnson stars as former UFC and PRIDE fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a biopic directed by Benny Safdie that premiered at the Venice and Toronto film festivals and opens in U.S. theaters on Oct. 3. Ahead of the release, Kerr has signed with Innovative Artists for representation covering acting opportunities, endorsements, licensing, speaking appearances and merchandising, the agency said.

The film traces Kerr’s ascent in mixed martial arts in the late 1990s and his subsequent struggles. Kerr, an NCAA wrestling standout who won two UFC heavyweight tournaments and an ADCC submission grappling title, was the subject of a 2002 HBO documentary that chronicled his battle with painkiller addiction. The Safdie film focuses on Kerr’s years competing internationally, including stints in Japan’s PRIDE promotion, and dramatizes the physical toll of the sport and the strain on his relationship with his partner Dawn, portrayed by Emily Blunt.

Johnson, known for blockbuster action and family films and for a career in professional wrestling, said the role required a different approach. He wore prosthetic makeup and adopted an Ohio-area accent to approximate Kerr’s appearance...