Dwayne Johnson, widely known as The Rock, surprised fans at the Venice Film Festival with his remarkable weight loss transformation. The Hollywood star has now revealed the reason behind shedding nearly 30 pounds — a unique role in his upcoming film Lizard Music.
After earning praise for his gritty performance as wrestler Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, Johnson is once again undergoing a dramatic physical change. This time, he will play a whimsical and eccentric 70-year-old character named Chicken Man in Benny Safdie’s adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater’s novel Lizard Music.
Speaking at the Toronto Film Festival, Johnson recalled how Safdie pitched the idea to him: “After 45 minutes, I said, I am your Chicken Man.” The actor admitted the transformation required him to eat less and change his fitness routine drastically.
Directed by Benny Safdie, the film marks another collaboration between Johnson and the acclaimed filmmaker following their success with The Smashing Machine, which has already sparked Oscar buzz. Johnson expressed his excitement about the challenge, saying it gave him the opportunity to break away from being typecast as just an action star.
Lizard Music tells the story of a quirky septuagenarian whose best friend happens to be a chicken. Johnson believes the eccentric character will allow him to showcase a completely different side of his acting range.
Despite this artistic shift, Johnson reassured fans that he isn’t leaving behind action films altogether. He confirmed he will reunite with Kevin Hart in Jumanji 3, which begins filming this November.
Reflecting on his career, Johnson admitted he once felt “pigeonholed” into the action-hero mold but is now determined to explore diverse roles that push his limits. With Lizard Music, he is ready to prove he’s more than just muscle — he’s an actor capable of transformation and depth.