Hollywood star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is known for his larger-than-life physique, but the actor recently revealed why he’s shedding pounds. At the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Johnson opened up about his weight loss journey and explained that his physical transformation is tied to his upcoming film roles.
Dwayne Johnson talks about his weight loss transformation
Speaking during TIFF’s In Conversation With… series on September 8, Dwayne Johnson said he’s currently “in the process of slimming down” for his next collaboration with director Benny Safdie. The two recently worked together on The Smashing Machine, which earned critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival.
For their next film, Lizard Music, Johnson will play an eccentric character called the Chicken Man. “We’re gonna make a film called Lizard Music, which is based off of a novel written by Daniel Pinkwater,” he told TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. Describing his role, Johnson added, “It’s a very whimsical and eccentric 70-something-year-old man called the Chicken Man. And his best friend is a 70-something-year-old chicken.” (via People)
Furthermore, he joked about his preparation, saying that to play the character, he is eating “less chicken.” He also told the audience, “This is me slimmed down. In the process of slimming down. I still have a long ways to go.”
Johnson’s decision to slim down comes shortly after his career-defining turn in The Smashing Machine, where he bulked up to play former UFC champion Mark Kerr. The role required heavy prosthetics and four hours of makeup daily. Reflecting on the transformation, Johnson said, “I get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in Smashing Machine. Can’t wait.”
At the Venice Film Festival, he admitted that taking on a serious dramatic role was long overdue. “This transformation was something I was really hungry to do,” Johnson said. “There was just a voice inside of me, a little voice that said, ‘Well, what if I could do more — I want to do more and what does that look like?’”
The Smashing Machine releases in theaters on October 3, 2025, while Lizard Music promises to showcase Johnson like never before.
