Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stunned Hollywood by taking a major pay cut for his latest film, The Smashing Machine. Known for commanding over $20 million per movie, Johnson reportedly accepted just $4 million for this passion project, according to Deadline.

In a rare move, The Rock even shared part of his salary with co-star Emily Blunt and Mark Kerr, the real-life MMA icon whose life inspired the film. It was a far cry from his usual blockbuster deals, but for Johnson, the reward was personal rather than financial.

After the film’s disappointing $6 million opening weekend, the lowest of his career, Johnson took to Instagram with gratitude and reflection.

“From deep in my grateful bones, thank you to everyone who has watched The Smashing Machine,” he wrote, adding, “You can’t control box office results , but you can control your performance and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. Truth is this film has changed my life.”

Despite opening behind Taylor Swift’s concert film and One Battle After Another, The Smashing Machine earned critical praise, with Johnson’s raw performance helping it achieve a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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