Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Declares He's 'Not Done' Losing Weight After Shedding 30 Pounds of Muscle...As Actor Ignores Fans' Concerns About His Health
Dwayne Johnson has dropped 30 pounds of muscle, with plans to drop more.
Sept. 9 2025, Published 5:15 p.m. ET
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has been "cooking" a lot less lately, and now RadarOnline.com can reveal why.
The Hollywood star recently sparked health fears after showing off his dramatic weight loss on the red carpet, and said he plans to shed even more muscle.
The former WWE star thinned down for a new role.
After earning rave reviews for his role as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, Johnson is looking to challenge himself with a new part.
This time, instead of bulking up to play an ultimate fighter, the 53-year-old is shedding the pounds to play an eccentric 70-year-old named "Chicken Man" in the big screen adaptation of the Daniel Pinkwater young adult novel Lizard Music.
The plot follows the adventures of a young boy who enters a whimsical world of adventure and music-playing lizards.
And what would a Chicken Man be without a fowl-weathered friend? So, of course, Johnson will be joined by a similarly aged 70-year-old chicken pal named Claudia.
More To Go
Johnson is earning rave reviews for his performance in 'The Smashing Machine.'
When Johnson appeared over the weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival, he had already lost much of the 30 pounds of muscle he put on to play Kerr, and said there was more loss to come.
"I still have a long way to go," he told a crowd during a special career retrospective discussion.
"I'm so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in Smashing Machine," he added, revealing what will surely make Claudia happy. "(That means) eating less chicken."
But fans on social media were too busy asking, "Where's the meat?"
One user said: "He looks sick to me," while a second chimed in: "Bro literally deflated."
A third commented: "He looks like a completely different person," as a fourth added: "The Rock became The Pebble."
Acting Outside The Box
He will reunite with co-star Emily Blunt and director Bennie Safdie for 'Lizard Music.'
The artsy new films are part of an overall career renaissance for the former WWE champion, who has said he is ready to act outside the box.
After a fast and furious action career, Johnson noted that the entertainment industry can often "pigeon-hole" actors into a specific "lane," which frustrated him. So he promised himself his next roles would provide more of a challenge to what people expect of him.
"This transformation was something I was really hungry to do," Johnson said without the slightest hint of irony. "I had been very fortunate to have the career that I've had over the years and to make the films that I've made, but 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?'"
And The Oscar Goes To...
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Johnson is looking for new roles he previously wouldn't have taken.
His new role as the troubled MMA fighter is already receiving strong Oscar buzz.
The Smashing Machine follows the true story of Kerr, a former college wrestler who battled trauma and drug addiction during the early years of the UFC.
Johnson received a 15-minute standing ovation after the screening of the film during its Venice premiere, which led to the star being visibly moved by the reaction.
According to insiders, the movie had one of the most emotional Venice Film Festival premieres since Brendan Fraser famously broke down in tears back in 2021, as he launched his Oscar campaign for The Whale.
Still, Johnson knows what makes people roll to the theaters, and promises to be back making big-budget blockbusters very soon. He recently revealed he’ll be re-teaming with Kevin Hart on Jumanji 3, which will begin shooting in November.
"The films that I made in the past, I love them," Johnson said. "I’ll go back to making them again."
