Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recounted what it meant to him to receive his first-ever Golden Globes Award nomination for his portrayal of Mark Kerr in the movie The Smashing Machine.

The movie might have been a box office flop, but it has earned Johnson and his co-star Emily Blunt Golden Globes nominations and Johnson, who often said did not care about the box office success of this particular movie, noted how he wanted to do it because he wanted to push and challenge himself for the role.

“I had something very special to me, which was the story,” Johnson said.

The Rock said that the nomination represents the fight in everybody, especially those with addictions and the demons they battle.

“Mark Kerr had it all and lost everything, and then has since become sober. He did overdose twice. Life is good because he’s sober and because he made it. Not everyone is that lucky. That’s the movie that we wanted to make: a nod to those who fight,” he continued.

He said that over the last years, he lost 15 friends to addiction, all of whom were wrestlers and fighters.

“Some OD’d, some decided to check out. Life was too hard,” Johnson continued. “It shook me, and then it restabilized me in a way like, ‘Okay, I’m so happy we made this film.’ It is a love letter to those that I just talked to you about. That’s why this nomination means so much.”