Dwayne Johnson recently honored director Benny Safdie with a Hamilton Behind the Camera Award for his work on “The Smashing Machine.” During the event, Johnson relayed director Christopher Nolan’s initial reaction to the film and its unconventional directing style. Safdie’s choice to film the fights from an audience perspective rather than inside the ring left a strong impression on Nolan.
Dwayne Johnson Shares Nolan’s Praise for ‘The Smashing Machine’
Johnson quoted Nolan, who remarked to Safdie, “I feel like I shouldn’t be watching this. I feel like I’m violating their space.” Nolan appreciated the counterintuitive approach in the film, expressing his respect for Safdie’s directing. Nolan previously described “The Smashing Machine” as “heartbreaking” in an October episode of the “Director’s Cut” podcast. He also commended Johnson’s portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Kerr as one of the best performances of the year.
Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards Highlights
The Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards took place on November 5 at Avalon Hollywood & Bardot in Los Angeles. Johnson presented the award to Safdie, who was one of 13 honorees this year. Other recipients included:
- Inbal Weinberg – Production Designer of “Roofman”
- Douglas Ware – Property Master of “Sinners”
- Matthew Libatique – Cinematographer of “Is This Thing On?”
- Colleen Atwood – Costume Designer of “One Battle After Another”
- Pamela Martin – Editor of “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”
- Mike Hill – Hair and Makeup Artist for “Frankenstein”
- Nicholas Britell – Composer of “Jay Kelly”
- Al Nelson, Gary Rizzo, Juan Peralta – Sound Artists for “F1”
Comedian Sasheer Zamata hosted the event, which featured heartfelt introductions by various collaborators. Channing Tatum presented the award to Weinberg, highlighting the nostalgia evoked by her detailed recreation of a Toys R Us from the 2000s.
Memorable Moments from Honorees
Guillermo del Toro shared a humorous anecdote about meeting Mike Hill at a horror convention, reflecting on their collaborative history. Many honorees expressed gratitude towards their teams for their contributions and the collaborative nature of filmmaking.
- Douglas Ware emphasized the importance of his consistent prop master team throughout multiple projects.
- Matthew Libatique noted that cinematography is a collective effort, highlighting the support he received on “Is This Thing On?”
- Colleen Atwood shared her enthusiasm for her experience working with famed actors like Taylor and DiCaprio.
Overall, the night celebrated the creativity and collaboration essential to the filmmaking process. Safdie concluded by emphasizing that every piece of a movie exists through collective effort.
