The Rock has shocked fans with his red carpet appearance at the Venice Film Festival, and no it's not because of his superhero-like muscles increasing in size. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The actor flaunted his slimmed-down body which visually showcased his massive weight and muscle loss. In the video, which was posted on TikTok, The Rock looked unrecognizable in a short-sleeve button-up polo shirt with illustrations throughout, along with black tailored pants and dress shoes. He completed the look with transparent Y2K-esque sunglasses, a gold chain and a gold watch.
The video went viral online as it garnered over nine million views and thousands of comments. Some fans loved the new look. One person wrote: "He still looks amazing." Another fan added: "Still fine." A third follower commented: "He looks the best this way." Other fans speculated that he made the drastic change due to health concerns. One person wrote: "He didn't just 'lose muscle.' The Rock chose to lean down on purpose. At 52 he's prioritizing health, agility, and longevity over bulk. It's not a fall-off, it's a smart evolution."
A second fan commented: "Dwayne is now 53. He likely lost a lot of weight because he would like to live longer and healthier." Although there were many speculations, the truth of the matter is he slimmed down for his role in the new movie The Smashing Machine, where he acts alongside Emily Blunt, and the two A-listers premiered the latest flick at the Venice Film Festival.
The Rock expressed that he didn't want to be put into a box when it came to the kind of roles he can portray simply based on his muscle mass, therefore he challenged himself to lose it so that he could play more dramatic roles. The entertainer gave credit to Emily, who he refers to as his "best friend," and who was also there for his journey of preparing for the role.
He shared with The Hollywood Reporter: "I've been very close with Emily and shared a lot of everything that I've gone through, and she said, 'That place is what you love to do, which is acting -- and you have me -- so let's do this together.' So that transformation could not have happened without my best friend being there to support and encourage me."
The wrestler admitted that the entertainment industry can often "pigeon-hole" actors into a specific "lane," which frustrated him, however Emily changed his mindset when she told him, "you can [do something different.]" The actor had a strong yearning to try something new and he acted upon it. He added: "This transformation was something I was really hungry to do."
He continued: "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?'"