Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has finally addressed the reason behind his striking transformation after unveiling a slimmed-down look recently.
The Hollywood star and former WWE icon shocked fans earlier this month when he unveiled a much slimmer figure than the one we are used to at the Venice Film Festival.
Having made a name for himself as one of the most muscular men in both wrestling and film, the 53-year-old actor appeared almost unrecognisable with a leaner, toned frame.
Photos and videos from the red carpet quickly went viral as fans were taken aback by the difference in the formerly 300-pound powerhouse.
Reports suggested that Johnson had shed nearly 60 pounds, weighing closer to 240 lbs for his latest role.
While fans were initially worried about his rapid weight loss, they can be reassured that it was by design.
The change comes as part of his preparation for The Smashing Machine, a new biographical drama in which he plays legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
The role required Johnson to embody Kerr's physique: athletic, agile, and authentic to a fighter’s lifestyle.
To achieve the transformation, Johnson overhauled his famously intense diet, Men's Health detailed.
He replaced his usual calorie-heavy bulking routine with a strict, protein-focused, low-sugar meal plan while shifting his training toward endurance-based workouts, grappling practice, and functional conditioning.
The results speak for themselves, with Johnson now sporting a leaner, fighter-ready silhouette.
Festival director Alberto Barbera praised his performance as “absolutely amazing,” even hinting that Johnson and co-star Emily Blunt, who portrays Kerr’s wife, could both find themselves in early Oscar conversations.
Online, fans expressed a mix of disbelief and admiration. One X user wrote: “Unreal!” while another joked: “The Rock looks unrecognisable.”
Another quipped: “The Rock or The Pebble?” a tongue-in-cheek nod to his reduced size.
The comparisons didn’t stop there. Many drew parallels with fellow wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, who also underwent a dramatic weight shift last year after fluctuating between 290 and 370 pounds throughout his career.
Like Bautista, Johnson appears to be proving that reinvention is possible, even after decades of being defined by sheer size.
As The Smashing Machine premieres to strong reviews in Venice, Johnson's quest to get even slimmer continues.
He revealed in a recent interview that he is required to shed more muscle to play 'Chicken Man', an eccentic man in his 70s, in the upcoming film Lizard Music.
Speaking at the Toronto Film Festival Johnson admitted: "I still have a long ways to go.
"I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in Smashing Machine. It means eating less chicken.”