WWE legend Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson addressed one of the biggest questions online ahead of the U.S. premiere of ‘The Smashing Machine’.
‘The Smashing Machine’, a biopic on MMA legend Mark Kerr’s life and career, is set to star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and will premiere in the United States next month. Johnson, an avid MMA fan, went through a significant physical transformation as he trained in the gym to mimic Kerr’s appearance.
During a recent appearance at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, Johnson raised eyebrows when he looked significantly emaciated just weeks after completing filming for ‘The Smashing Machine’. Johnson suffered an injury during filming, but his skinny physique in Venice left many fans concerned.
As speculation swirls online, Johnson made sure to address the ‘elephant in the room’ as he continues to promote the film.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson addresses massive concerns for his health over slim physique
During a recent Q&A session at the Toronto International Film Festival, Johnson explained his shockingly slim physique.
“A little bit of the backstory is Benny [Safdie] pitched me the movie after ‘The Smashing Machine,’ and after about 45 minutes, I said, ‘I am your chicken guy,’” Johnson said.
“What that means is, without giving too much away, the role that I will play is a very whimsical and eccentric 70-something-year-old man called ‘The Chicken Man,’ and his best friend is a 70-something-year-old chicken. I’m so excited to hopefully get a chance to transform again like I was able to do in ‘Smashing Machine.’
“That’s why I’ve been slimming down, to play ‘The Chicken Man.’ I’ve been eating less chicken. This is me slimmed down. In the process of slimming down. I still have a long ways to go.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
As of this writing, it’s uncertain how much more weight Johnson intends to lose as he prepares for another acting role. Luckily, it appears Johnson’s dramatic weight loss wasn’t due to a severe medical condition as proposed by some concerned fans.
‘The Smashing Machine’ is set to premiere in the United States on October 3rd.