Dwayne Johnson opens up about being 'pigeonholed' in Hollywood

Dwayne Johnson has opened up about being "pigeonholed" in Hollywood.

The actor, best known for starring in action franchises such as The Fast and the Furious and Jumanji, felt he had been boxed in by the industry and decided to change that by signing up to star as UFC champion Mark Kerr in the upcoming biopic The Smashing Machine.

During the Venice Film Festival press conference for the biopic on Monday, the Red Notice actor admitted that he has wanted to make something different "for a long time".

Speaking alongside director Benny Safdie and co-star Emily Blunt, who plays Dawn Staples, Kerr's girlfriend, he continued, "The three of us have talked for a very long time about, when you're in Hollywood - as we all know, it had become about box office. And you chase the box office, and the box office can be very loud and it can become very resounding and it can push you into a category and into a corner."

He added, "This is your lane and this is what you do and this is what Hollywood wants you to do."

Johnson went on to share that being pigeonholed had previously held him back in his career.

"I just had this burning desire and voice that was saying, 'What if there is more and what if I can?' A lot of times, it's harder for us - or at least for me - to know what you're capable of when you've been pigeonholed into something," he said. "Sometimes it takes people that who you love and respect, like Emily and Benny, to say that you can."

The Smashing Machine will premiere at the Venice Film Festival later on Monday, with a U.S. cinema release scheduled for 3 October.