The Rock has revealed the reason for his dramatic 60lb weight loss.
Dwayne Johnson, better known around the world as The Rock, is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. And last week he went viral after turning up at Venice Film Festival where he got a 15 minute standing ovation for his new film, The Smashing Machine.
Alongside the ovation, Johnson himself looked a lot slimmer than his usual muscle-toned physique made famous since his wrestling days.
He was a full-time performer for eight years with the WWF, which was later rebranded as WWE, before he moved into Hollywood in the early 2000s. Johnson has gone on to establish himself as one of the biggest box office names in the world.
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His first leading role came more than 20 years ago in The Scorpion King and it opened the door to several high-profile films. He went on to headline a string of blockbuster action films, including the Fast & Furious franchise and San Andreas, as he developed into a household name. He then provided the voice of Maui in the popular Disney film Moana.
Now, Johnson is preparing for another return to the big screen, but he will have to embrace a different look.
In a recent interview, Johnson said the weight loss is for a new role. He is set to a play an eccentic man in his 70s, known as 'Chicken Man' in the upcoming film Lizard Music.
The role requires a drastic physical transformation as he will be required to shed 60lbs of muscle.
The movie will once again see him collaborate with the director Benny Safdie, whom he worked with on The Smashing Machine. That film is due to be released on 3 October, with Johnson playing the real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
It is the story of a heavyweight champion, whose career was marked by a difficult relationship with his girlfriend and struggles with substance abuse.
For Johnson, portraying Kerr was a notable change from his previous roles within action-packed blockbuster films.
Speaking about the film, he said: “You hope it’s like, ‘Hey, we made this thing We love it. We hope you do too, and if you don’t, it’s OK. Maybe you’ll like the next thing.'”
His next big film, Lizard Music, will demand another radical body transformation.
Speaking at the Toronto Film Festival on Monday, he explained the sacrifices that he will have to mark to get into the right condition.
He said: “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.”
For Johnson, both films mark a bold change from the typical action blockbusters that defined much of his early career.
Topics: Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, WWE, Wrestling
James Taylor