Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, recently shocked everyone with his extreme weight loss. The former WWE star has now broken the silence about his sudden transformation. The actor revealed he is preparing for a very different role from the action-packed characters he is famous for and shared that he is losing weight to play a “whimsical, eccentric 70-something year-old” called Chicken Man in the upcoming film Lizard Music, as per Variety.
The film is directed by Benny Safdie, who previously worked with Johnson on The Smashing Machine. Johnson said he immediately agreed to the role after Safdie pitched it to him. “After about 45 minutes, this pitch ended and I said, ‘I am your Chicken Man,’” Johnson recalled during a talk at the Toronto Film Festival, where The Smashing Machine is being screened.
Physical transformation for the role
According to reports by Variety, for this role, Johnson is shedding pounds after having gained 30 pounds of muscle to play MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. Despite the weight loss, he joked that he still looks strong. “I still have a long way to go,” he admitted. Johnson also mentioned that part of the process means eating less chicken, humorously noting, “I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in Smashing Machine,” at the Toronto Film Festival.
About Lizard music
Lizard Music is based on a Daniel Pinkwater novel. The story follows a 70-year-old man whose best friend is a 70-year-old chicken. Johnson described the film as an acting challenge and a chance to try something very different from his usual blockbuster roles. He said this project allows him to step away from being typecast as an action hero, admitting, “I felt for a few years, I was pigeonholed because I allowed it to happen.”
Balancing new roles and blockbuster
While Johnson is trying new types of roles, he said he will be reuniting with Kevin Hart for Jumanji 3 in November, adding that he loves the movies he has made and will keep making them alongside new ones. “The films that I made in the past, I love them. I’ll go back to making them again,” he said.
FAQs
1. What role is Dwayne Johnson playing in Lizard Music?
Dwayne Johnson is playing a whimsical, eccentric 70-year-old man named Chicken Man, whose best friend is a 70-year-old chicken. The role marks a departure from his usual action-packed characters.
2. How is Dwayne Johnson preparing for his role in Lizard Music?
To portray the elderly character, Johnson is losing weight after previously bulking up for his role in The Smashing Machine. He described the transformation as a challenge and said, “I still have a long way to go.”
3. When will Dwayne Johnson next appear in a blockbuster film?
While exploring new roles, Johnson will return to big-budget films by reuniting with Kevin Hart in Jumanji 3, which is scheduled to begin shooting in November.