VENICE >> Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, best known for his high-octane action roles, has stepped away from his Hollywood comfort zone to take on a bruising dramatic turn in “The Smashing Machine,” which premieres at the Venice Film Festival today.

The former wrestling star and box-office powerhouse plays the real-life, mixed martial arts pioneer Mark Kerr, whose towering physique and prowess in the ring belied a soft-spoken nature and private struggles.

The role marks a sharp turn for Johnson, who has spent the past two decades headlining family franchises such as “Jumanji” and the “Fast & Furious” series.

“Sometimes it’s harder to know what you’re capable of when you’ve been pigeonholed into something,” Johnson told reporters in Venice.

“It could push you into a category and into a corne

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