Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shocked fans at the Toronto Film Festival by revealing his dramatic weight loss and career shift. Known for his muscular action-hero roles, the 52-year-old star is slimming down to play a quirky 70-year-old character named Chicken Man in the upcoming film Lizard Music. This comes just months after Johnson packed on 30 pounds of muscle to portray MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a role now generating Oscar buzz.

Johnson explained that this transformation represents his desire to break free from Hollywood’s typecasting. For years, he felt pigeonholed into family-friendly and action-packed roles like Jumanji and Fast Five. Playing Kerr, a fighter battling addiction and personal demons, allowed him to prove his dramatic acting skills alongside Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s troubled partner.

Fans first noticed Johnson’s slimmer frame at the Venice Film Festival, where photos of his lean look went viral. Many were stunned and concerned, with social media flooded by comments about how “unrecognizable” he appeared. While some speculated about his health, Johnson confirmed it was entirely for his role and his artistic growth.

With Lizard Music, Johnson continues to take risks, abandoning the physical image that made him famous to embrace a more eccentric and vulnerable character. His transformation marks not just a new role but a defining moment in his career, as he reinvents himself and challenges expectations.