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Key Points

Dwayne Johnson is undergoing another dramatic physical transformation for his upcoming film. He's lost 30 pounds to play an eccentric elderly character called Chicken Man in Benny Safdie's Lizard Music adaptation. This follows his critically acclaimed performance as wrestler Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, which generated Oscar buzz. Johnson admits he felt pigeonholed by his action hero image and is now actively seeking roles that challenge his typecasting.

Key Points: Dwayne Johnson Weight Loss for Benny Safdie Lizard Music Role

  • Lost 30 pounds for whimsical 70-something Chicken Man role
  • Reunites with Benny Safdie after The Smashing Machine success
  • Film adapts Daniel Pinkwater novel about man with chicken friend
  • Johnson felt pigeonholed by action roles for years
2 min read

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson reveals why he lost weight after 'The Smashing Machine'

The Rock reveals he lost 30 pounds to play eccentric Chicken Man in Benny Safdie's Lizard Music after Oscar buzz for The Smashing Machine performance.

"I am your Chicken Man - Dwayne Johnson"

Washington DC, September 9

Dwayne Johnson, also popularly known as 'The Rock', created quite a buzz at the recently concluded Venice Film Festival due to his drastic weight loss. The actor has now revealed the reason for his major weight drop, reported Variety.

After gaining appreciation for his portrayal of wrestler Mark Kerr in his film 'The Smashing Machine', The Rock revealed that he has to undergo another radical weight transformation for his upcoming movie titled 'Lizard Music'.

According to the outlet, the actor is shedding pounds to portray a "whimsical, eccentric 70-something year-old" called Chicken Man in 'Lizard Music.'

It is directed by Benny Safdie, marking the reunion of The Rock and the director after their critically acclaimed film 'The Smashing Machine'.

"Benny pitched me this, and after about 45 minutes, this pitch ended and I said, 'I am your Chicken Man,'" said Dwayne Johnson during a career retrospective talk at the Toronto Film Festival on Monday, as quoted by Variety.

According to the outlet, the actor has shed almost 30 pounds and still believes that he has "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," Johnson added as quoted by Variety.

The film 'Lizard Music' is an adaptation of a Daniel Pinkwater novel of the same name. It tells the story of a septuagenarian whose best friend is a 70-year-old chicken.

Like 'The Smashing Machine,' which has earned Oscar buzz for Johnson, it's an opportunity to subvert his action hero image.

After starring in blockbusters like 'Jumanji' and 'Fast Five,' Johnson said he was ready to shake things up.

"I felt for a few years that I was pigeonholed because I allowed it to happen," Johnson admitted. He added, "'Smashing Machine' is for me," as quoted by the outlet.

The sports drama doesn't shy away from showing the darker sides of Kerr's story, including his toxic relationship with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) and substance abuse struggles, as reported by Variety.

However, fans of the actor's action movies need not be disappointed, as the actor also revealed that he will be teaming up with Kevin Hart on 'Jumanji 3', which is set to start shooting in November, according to Variety.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
"I'm so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again" - this shows how passionate he is about his craft. Respect for wanting to break out of the action hero stereotype. More power to him! 💪
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Aman W
Honestly, I'll miss the buff Rock from Fast & Furious days 😅 But it's good to see actors challenging themselves. Hope our Bollywood stars also take such risks instead of playing safe roles all the time.
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Sarah B
Playing a 70-year-old with a chicken as best friend? That sounds absolutely wild! 😂 But if anyone can pull it off, it's The Rock. His comedic timing is underrated.
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Vikram M
Good to hear he's balancing serious roles with commercial ones. Jumanji 3 with Kevin Hart will be hilarious! The duo's chemistry is always entertaining. Looking forward to both films.
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Nikhil C
While I appreciate the dedication, I hope this doesn't set unrealistic expectations for actors everywhere. Rapid weight changes can be dangerous if not done properly. The industry should prioritize health over extreme transformations.

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