Benny Safdie on Blurring Reality and Fiction in 'The Smashing Machine'

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Oct 2, 2025

Filmmaker and actor Benny Safdie, known for his work on The Smashing Machine, shares insights on blending reality with fiction. He discusses the emotional depth required to portray vulnerability in characters and the unique challenge of casting first-time actors and real athletes. Benny describes his creative process, including the innovative staging of scenes to evoke immersive emotions. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration with composers and his approach to editing while shooting, all while balancing his personal life with his artistic endeavors.

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ANECDOTE

Letter, Sweater, And A Missed Connection

Benny sent Dwayne a handwritten letter and a Nautica sweater to express how much the Mark Kerr story meant to him.
The package never arrived, and Emily Blunt later reconnected them which restarted the project momentum.

INSIGHT

Compassion Inside Competitive Masculinity

Fighters showed tenderness and concern for each other that contradicts macho stereotypes.
Benny wanted to highlight that empathy to change how audiences view masculinity in the sport.

ADVICE

Adapt Dialogue To The Actor

Cast to fit the person and adapt dialogue to their voice rather than forcing lines.
Work in casting rehearsals with first-time actors to discover authentic performances and tailor the script accordingly.

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In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with filmmaker and actor Benny Safdie to dig into his solo directorial feature The Smashing Machine — a biopic‑adjacent portrait of UFC legend Mark Kerr starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. The conversation ranges from genesis stories and casting experiments to the heavy emotional labor behind staging domestic fights, and how Benny’s dual identity as actor-director shapes his approach to truth in film.

In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and guest Benny Safdie discuss…

How the film began as a handwritten letter and a vintage sweater, and the surprising miscommunication that delayed the project
Benny’s desire to make emotional scenes feel like “virtual reality,” pushing the boundary between fiction and lived experience
His method of breaking big scenes (fights, domestic conflict) into overlapping sections for pacing, focus, and emotional veracity
Working with first-time actors and real athletes: adapting dialogue, rehearsal during casting, and honoring spontaneity
The role of the score (with Nala Sinefroo) as an “actor” in the film, and how Benny collaborates with musicians
Editing while shooting, watching dailies, and carrying the film in his mind from set to cut
Struggles in balancing creative work with personal life, and how photography serves as a solitary creative practice
Advice for emerging directors: start with something you intimately understand before trying to overreach

Memorable Quotes:

“What you write is meaningless if it doesn't sound good coming out of the person's mouth.”
“I want it to feel like you were really there… the sound has to be 360.”
“You have to love what’s there. You have to fall in love with it.”
“I call it liposuction for the end — shrink wrapping the film.”

Guests:

Benny Safdie

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