Emily Blunt shines in nude sequined gown at Berlin premiere of The Smashing Machine

Emily Blunt cut an elegant figure on the red carpet at the Berlin premiere of The Smashing Machine on Monday, wearing a shimmering nude sequined gown with a black strappy bust. The Devil Wears Prada star, 42, paused for photographers at Zoo Palast as she steps into the role of Dawn Staples in the biopic. She arrived beside her co-star and leading actor, Dwayne Johnson, who wore a checked blazer and sunglasses as the pair greeted the crowd in jovial fashion. Blunt’s arrival underscored the film’s emphasis on character and resilience as much as on spectacle.

Blunt styled her brown hair in a classy up-do and complemented the look with a pendant necklace and coordinating jewelry, completing a look that drew praise from onlookers and photographers alike. Johnson offered a similarly polished presence on the carpet, signaling the film’s high-profile Berlin premiere as a key milestone in its rollout.

The Smashing Machine, due for release on October 3, is based on John Hyams’ 2002 HBO documentary of the same name and centers on former amateur wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, with Johnson portraying Kerr and Blunt portraying his wife, Dawn Staples. The film positions Kerr’s life beyond the ring within the context of his battles with substance abuse, offering a dramatic partnership between the two leads as they navigate a complicated relationship under pressure.

Johnson, who has long been known for his action-heavy repertoire, described the project as a chance to stretch into more dramatic terrain. He has said the transformation required for Kerr—an extended period of weight loss, prosthetics and a wig—was a deliberate and meaningful challenge that pushed him to explore new facets of his craft. "This transformation was something I was really hungry to do," he told The Hollywood Reporter, emphasizing his desire to push beyond the action roles that have defined much of his career.

At a post-screening press conference, Johnson spoke candidly about the complexities of Kerr’s life. "Mark was the greatest fighter in the world at one point, but this film is not even really about fighting — it's a love story," he explained emotionally. "It's a love story about Mark and Dawn in this relationship, and it's a love story about Mark and the love that he had for the thing that he did — his struggle with trying to deliver in the ring, his challenges and his overcoming." He added that Kerr had endured serious personal lows, noting that Kerr had OD’d twice and was lucky to be alive, a reality that anchors the film’s stakes.

The biopic also delves into Dawn Staples’ perspective as Kerr’s partner and as someone navigating recovery while sharing a life with a high-profile athlete. The relationship lens forms the emotional core of the film, offering audiences a portrait that extends beyond the gym and the competition arena. The Berlin premiere serves as a visible sign of the project’s ambition to present a more intimate, human-centered story within the broader world of MMA and sports culture.

In the months ahead, The Smashing Machine is expected to draw attention not only for its performances but for its approach to portraying the volatile era Kerr inhabited and the personal toll of pursuit, fame and addiction. The collaboration between Blunt and Johnson marks a high-profile pairing that industry watchers will be watching as the film expands to international markets.

Johnson has also discussed his preparation for the role in more personal terms, including a May appearance on a wellness program where he described working with a functional medicine practitioner to address health issues and gut health. While those remarks are separate from the film’s fictionalized narrative, they illustrate the level of dedication Johnson pursued to authentically inhabit Kerr’s experience.

As the October release draws near, Berlin’s premiere highlighted The Smashing Machine’s dual aim: to honor Kerr’s resilience and to explore a deeply intimate love story within a biographical framework. Blunt’s performance as Staples will be central to that balance, bridging the emotional weight of recovery with the dramatic arc of Kerr’s life inside and outside the ring. The film’s reception in Berlin will likely set the tone for its critical reception as it widens its release to other markets and streaming platforms in the weeks that follow.