Dwayne Johnson’s Oscar Buzz: Genuine Talent or Hollywood’s Greatest PR Stunt?

For weeks now, the entertainment industry has been abuzz with one name: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

With his latest film, The Smashing Machine, earning a staggering 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving a 15-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, many are heralding this as a “career-defining” role that could potentially land him an Oscar nomination.

However, not everyone is convinced by the accolades.

Beneath the surface of thunderous applause and glowing reviews, a more skeptical conversation is brewing: is this truly The Rock’s moment as a serious actor, or is it merely the most extravagant PR stunt in Hollywood history?

At Venice, Johnson was visibly moved, breaking down in tears as the audience erupted in applause.

The image of such a colossal figure in cinema brought to tears by the love of the audience seemed perfectly crafted for awards-season headlines.

Yet, some critics argue that this display was too perfectly timed and orchestrated to be genuine.

Social media quickly lit up with skepticism.

One viral post questioned, “Fifteen minutes of clapping? Come on. That’s not organic. That’s orchestrated.”

Conspiracy theorists suggest that festival audiences are often “guided” to extend their applause to create viral moments.

Did The Rock’s team exploit this tradition to maximize media coverage and public interest?

Even amidst the praise, there are detractors who argue that Johnson’s performance reveals limitations in his acting range.

“He’s still The Rock,” one antifan posted.

“Bigger muscles, sadder face. That’s it. Crying doesn’t equal acting.”

Others contend that Johnson’s vulnerability felt more calculated than authentic, as if he were “performing” sensitivity rather than genuinely experiencing it.

This raises an important question: is Hollywood so eager to crown him as an Oscar contender that they are confusing raw emotion with raw talent?

Johnson’s own words have not helped quell the criticism.

In interviews following the Venice screening, he described this role as “the performance I was born to give.

” While some fans interpreted this as confidence, others perceived it as arrogance — a suggestion that his previous filmography, from Fast & Furious to Black Adam, was merely a warm-up for this moment.

A columnist for Hollywood Insider went even further: “There’s an unspoken smugness to Johnson’s victory lap.

He knows the machine is behind him.

He knows he’s the industry’s safest bet for global appeal.

But Oscar voters don’t always reward swagger.”

Could Johnson’s very confidence be his downfall in this race?

The most tantalizing rumor circulating in industry circles is that The Smashing Machine was always intended as an Oscar vehicle.

From selecting a gritty, emotional role to premiering at Venice — a festival notorious for launching Oscar contenders — every detail seems meticulously planned to fit the mold of a classic awards campaign.

Some skeptics even question the legitimacy of the Rotten Tomatoes score.

“A perfect 100%? Really?” one critic mused.

“It feels like every reviewer got the same memo: crown The Rock, or else.”

Meanwhile, the battle lines are drawn online.

Hardcore fans argue that this is the long-overdue recognition of Johnson’s depth as an actor.

They share clips from Venice with captions like “The People’s Champion is now The People’s Actor.”

On the flip side, antifans are quick to dismiss him as “manufactured” and “inauthentic.

” Memes mocking his emotional display at Venice circulate on social media, with captions like “Even his tears have steroids.”

It’s evident that The Rock has transitioned from a universally adored entertainer to a polarizing figure — one whose quest for artistic credibility has divided audiences.

As Oscar season approaches, Johnson’s trajectory remains uncertain.

Will the Academy embrace him as the unexpected underdog who proved his critics wrong? Or will voters see through what some describe as a carefully scripted transformation — the Rock playing the Rock, but this time in Oscar mode?

One thing is clear: Hollywood hasn’t been this divided over a performance in years.

Perhaps the real genius of The Smashing Machine lies in its ability to spark such fervent debate.

Whether you believe in the tears or not, the conversation surrounding them is impossible to ignore.

So, is The Rock finally on the path to Oscar glory, or is this just Hollywood’s boldest con yet? Only time will tell, but for now, the buzz around Dwayne Johnson continues to captivate and provoke thought across the industry.