Pro wrestling and Hollywood star The Rock has explained why he lost a considerable amount of weight, surprising millions (and millions) of fans with a recent public appearance.
On September 1, The Rock, real name Dwayne Johnson, appeared at the Venice International Film Festival for the premiere of The Smashing Machine, which sees the former WWE Champion portray the role of former UFC fighter Mark Kerr in a biopic about the MMA fighter. Johnson looked noticeably slimmer at the premiere, with photos of the famously jacked actor going viral online. While there was a lot of speculation behind the shock transformation, Johnson has now revealed why he is looking leaner.
The Rock Weight Loss For Role In “Lizard Music”
Reporting from the Toronto Film Festival, Variety stated that Johnson is set to play “a whimsical, eccentric 70-something-year-old” called Chicken Man in the upcoming movie “Lizard Music.” The film will see Johnson once again team up with Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie, with the Hollywood star stating in the article that he accepted the role after listening to a 45-minute pitch on the role.
It is also stated that the pro wrestler lost most of the 30 pounds of muscle he gained for The Smashing Machine, but he still has “a long way to go”:
“I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in ‘Smashing Machine,’” Johnson added. “[It means] eating less chicken.”
Lizard Music will be an adaptation of a novel by Daniel Pinkwater, “which tells the story of a septuagenarian whose best friend is a 70-year-old chicken.” It is noted that much like The Smashing Machine, the movie will be a stark contrast to the traditional Dwayne Johnson blockbusters that moviegoers have become familiar with over the past few years. Also in the interview, Johnson added that he had been typecast thanks to his previous roles:
“I felt for a few years, I was pigeonholed because I allowed it to happen,” Johnson admitted. He added, “‘Smashing Machine’ is for me.”
Featured image: WWE
