Dwayne Johnson to Be Honored with Creative Impact in Acting Award from Variety at 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival

Dwayne Johnson to Be Honored with Creative Impact in Acting Award from Variety at 2026 
Palm Springs International Film Festival 
 

Variety will honor Golden Globe nominee Dwayne Johnson with the Creative Impact in Acting Award at 
the 2026 Palm Springs Film Festival. The award will be given as part of Variety’s annual 10 Directors to 
Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch on January 4. 

 

Actor, producer, and founder Johnson will be recognized for his revelatory and transformative 
performance in Benny Safdie's “The Smashing Machine,” which has garnered him his first Golden Globe 
nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. The film has already earned accolades for Safdie, 
who received the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival, as well as co-star Emily Blunt, 
who also received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the Best Supporting Actress 
Category. 

 

“Dwayne Johnson is a revelation in ‘The Smashing Machine.’ His haunting and committed portrayal of 
MMA fighter Mark Kerr is a testament to his willingness to forgo vanity to tell a truly human story. We 
are thrilled to honor Dwayne with Variety’s Acting Award in Palm Springs,” said Ramin Setoodeh, co-
president & co-editor-in-chief, Variety. 

 

Johnson, whose recent work includes “Moana 2,” which garnered over $1 billion globally, will next be 
seen reprising his role as Maui in the live action “Moana,” set to release summer 2026. He is also 
currently filming the next installment of the fan favorite “Jumanji” franchise. Coming up, he is set to join 
forces with Safdie again on their second collaboration, “Lizard Music,” based off of a children’s book 
where Johnson will transform as the septuagenarian, “The Chicken Man.” He will also produce and star 
in Martin Scorsese’s Hawaii-set untitled crime drama alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Emily Blunt. 
Johnson is additionally attached to A24’s upcoming psychological thriller “Breakthrough,” penned by 
screenwriter Zeke Goodman and directed by Darren Aronofsky. 

 

The Palm Springs International Film Festival runs from January 2 to 12, 2026. Passes and tickets are 
currently on sale. For additional information visit https://www.psfilmfest.org/. 

 

About the Palm Springs International Film Society 
The Palm Springs International Film Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose 
mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural 
awareness. The Film Society produces the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) and Film 
Awards every January and Palm Springs ShortFest in June. In addition to curating the best in 
international cinema, PSIFF’s Film Awards has come to be known as the first stop on the campaign trail 
for the Academy Awards®, and our Oscar®-qualifying ShortFest is the largest short film festival and 
market in North America. Our festivals, year-round member screenings and educational programs 
manifest our organization’s mission by nurturing and encouraging new filmmaking talent, honoring the 
great masters of world cinema, and expanding audience horizons. The City of Palm Springs is the title 


 

 

sponsor of both festivals. The Film Awards are presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment 
Tonight. 

 

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Press Contacts: 
Scenario Communications 
PSIFF@scenariopr.com