Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a former WWE star and current Hollywood star, astonished fans last week when he showed off a much thinner body at the Venice Film Festival.
For decades, the 53-year-old actor was known as one of the strongest guys in both wrestling and movies. But when he showed up with a leaner, more toned body, people on social media went crazy.
Pictures and videos on the red carpet show Johnson in a comfortable open-collar shirt and tailored pants. His body is noticeably different from the 300-pound behemoth that fans have come to expect.
Reports say he has lost about 60 pounds and now weighs about 240 pounds for his most recent role.
The Rock’s makeover for The Smashing Machine in terms of weight loss
Fans who are worried about Johnson’s health don’t need to be; he is losing weight on purpose. He is making the shift to get ready for The Smashing Machine, a new biographical drama in which he plays the famous MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
This project was different from his superhero blockbusters that needed him to be big and bulky. Instead, he had to be Kerr’s body type: athletic, quick, and true to a fighter’s lifestyle.
Johnson changed his renowned strict diet to make the change, as Men’s Health reported.
The big cheat meals and calorie-heavy bulking exercises were no longer there. Instead, he followed a rigorous eating plan that was high in protein and low in sugar. He also changed his exercises to focus on endurance, grappling, and functional fitness.
The results speak for themselves: Johnson now has a leaner, more fighter-ready body.
Johnson’s performance was hailed as “absolutely amazing” by festival director Alberto Barbera, who even suggested that both Johnson and co-star Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s wife, might be nominated for an Oscar.
People react to The Rock’s new look.
Fans on the internet were both shocked and impressed. One X user said, “Unreal!” and another joked, “The Rock looks like a different person.”
Someone else joked, “The Rock or The Pebble?” A tongue-in-cheek reference to how small he is now.
Credit: Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / Getty Images.
There were more analogies after that. A lot of people compared him to Dave Bautista, another wrestler who became an actor. Bautista also lost a lot of weight last year after going from 290 to 370 pounds over his career.
Johnson seems to be proving that it’s possible to change, just like Bautista did, even after being known for his size for decades.
As The Smashing Machine gets good reviews in Venice, Johnson’s new look could not only change the course of his career but also illustrate that even the biggest action stars in Hollywood can change when they need to.
It is yet unclear if the change will win awards, but one thing is for sure: The Rock’s latest change has already made headlines throughout the world.