From his career in WWE, to blockbuster films, late-night show appearances, and his constant presence on social media, The Rock has long been a household name. His image has always been tied to his massive, muscular frame — one of the key reasons for his nickname.
However, when Johnson appeared at the Venice Film Festival over the weekend, fans were taken aback by how much smaller and slimmer he looked compared to his usual physique. The transformation left many surprised and even worried about his health.
“The Rock is currently going viral after losing a lot of muscle,” one fan wrote on Twitter. Another commented: “He’s so lean,” while a third joked: “Damn, he’s half of what he was!”
Adding to the speculation, a fourth person wondered: “First Batista now him. Is something going on in Hollywood that they aren’t telling us.”
His slimmer frame, however, is not without reason. Johnson transformed his body for his upcoming lead role as real-life UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the A24 film The Smashing Machine. The project also stars Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples and Dutch MMA legend Bas Rutten, who will portray himself.
When discussing why he took on such a demanding role, Johnson told Variety: “Benny [Safdie] wants to create, and continues to push the envelope when it comes to stories that are raw and real, characters that are authentic and at times uncomfortable and arresting.”
During a press conference on Monday for the movie, Johnson explained how meaningful this project is for him and why he wanted to take this bold step at this point in his career.
“When you’re in Hollywood — as we all know, it had become about box office,” he explained. “And you chase the box office, and the box office can be very loud and it can become very resounding and it can push you into a category and into a corner.”
