Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been in the public eye for decades, but fans will have to get accustomed to a new look from the entertainment mogul.
While the signature shaved head remains the same, a noticeably slimmer Johnson was on hand for the 2025 Venice Film Festival. The body transformation is in relation to Johnson’s role in the upcoming film, “The Smashing Machine.”
Here is a closer look at Johnson’s weight loss and how it ties to his latest film role.
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Dwayne Johnson weight loss, explained
Johnson shed a significant amount of weight for his role in “The Smashing Machine.” In the movie, Johnson plays the title character, former UFC heavyweight champion Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr.
“This transformation was something I was really hungry to do,” Johnson said to The Hollywood Reporter of his preparation for the role.
“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?'”
Johnson shed more light while speaking during a press conference for the movie.
“We also had this silhouette that was very unique to Mark Kerr,” Johnson said. “It was very specific training because if you think about it, Mark, as an amateur wrestler, there’s movements that he would do constantly all day, that would just build certain fast-twitch muscles.”
Dwayne Johnson discusses his physical transformation to portray Mark Kerr in “The Smashing Machine.” pic.twitter.com/pHeBdUKsJZ
— E! News (@enews) September 1, 2025
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How much weight did Dwayne Johnson lose?
Johnson is believed to have lost 60 pounds in preparation for his new role, though the exact figure has not been confirmed.
Dwayne Johnson before and after
Several publications have documented Johnson’s transformation with before and after photos. The differences show a stark contrast and illustrate the weight Johnson dropped for the role.
Fans have pointed out that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson looks slimmer or leaner than usual in recent public appearances and social media posts 👀
From The Rock to The Pebble 😅 pic.twitter.com/rqmfklfbdg
— Pubity Sport (@pubitysport) September 2, 2025
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‘The Smashing Machine’ release date
“The Smashing Machine” is scheduled to release theatrically in the United States and Canada on Oct. 3, 2025.
The film debuted on Sept. 1, 2025, at the Venice Film Festival and was met with rave reviews. It stars Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Ryan Bader, and also features notable figures from the world of combat sports.
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