The Rock reshapes his look for new roles

Dwayne Johnson explains his weight loss as he prepares for upcoming film roles.

The Rock trims weight for film roles

Dwayne Johnson appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival in an event focused on his evolving physique. He said he is slimming down for Lizard Music, a whimsical project based on Daniel Pinkwater's novel in which he plays a 70-something Chicken Man. He also noted that the transformation echoes his past work and he is not finished changing, aiming to transform again as he did in the film The Smashing Machine.

Johnson will bulk up again for The Smashing Machine, a drama about MMA fighter Mark Kerr. The Venice Film Festival premiere of that project drew strong reviews and fueled talk of an Oscar nomination for his performance. The contrast between the two roles shows how top actors balance different body states to tell diverse stories.

Johnson’s weight shifts illustrate a broader pattern in today’s cinema where actors switch between extreme body states to fit characters. The practice underlines craft and range, but it also invites discussion about health, pressure and the optics of fame. Audiences increasingly expect performers to embody the story through physical change and not just through lines and scenes.

Two high profile projects show a balance between a light, whimsical role and a gritty drama. The public sees a star willing to transform repeatedly to tell stories, a sign of an era where personal image is intertwined with storytelling and career strategy.

Highlights

The craft of acting now leans as much on the body as on the performance