Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt Showcase Fast Friendship at 2025 Toronto Festival

Actors Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson revealed at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival that they developed a quick and deep friendship while working together on the upcoming film The Smashing Machine, following their initial collaboration on 2021's Jungle Cruise. Blunt was surprised to find Johnson to be gentle, contemplative, and kind—very different from her initial expectations—while Johnson praised Blunt as one of the greatest actors of their time and one of his best friends. Their bond, characterized by love, trust, and vulnerability, allowed them to deliver powerful performances in the sports drama about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, with Blunt portraying Kerr's now-ex-wife. The duo's chemistry was evident during the film's Venice International Film Festival premiere, which received a 15-minute standing ovation. Johnson emphasized that their friendship and mutual respect were essential to reaching the emotional depths required for the film. Blunt also noted that her husband, John Krasinski, is accustomed to her on-screen romances and remains unfazed by her love scenes with other actors.