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Fans Defend Dwayne Johnson After Actor’s New “Slim” Look Raises Health Concerns
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had fans doing a double take when he attended the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.
The wrestler-turned-actor debuted a noticeably slimmer appearance at the Miu Miu Women’s Tales event ahead of the premiere of his movie The Smashing Machine.
Dwayne wore a light blue short-sleeved silk shirt paired with black pants.
Highlights
- Dwayne Johnson stunned fans with a slimmer look at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.
- The actor appeared to have undergone a transformation to portray UFC fighter Mark Kerr in 'The Smashing Machine.'
- Despite weight loss rumors, fans praised his physique, noting muscle loss is normal with age.
His slimmer physique sparked concern among many netizens, who worried that the 53-year-old had lost too much weight and might have risked his health for the role.
“His eyes… something is not right if the picture is true,” one person noted.
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Dwayne Johnson appeared noticeably slimmer at the Venice International Film Festival
Image credits: Alessandro Levati/Getty Images
“This looks like the work of Ozempic which reduces your hunger. People quit eating and will drop fat/muscles,” someone else said.
“Hope he is ok, fast weight loss is not always a good sign,” a third chimed in.
Image credits: A24
However, others were less concerned and praised the action star’s look.
“With aging comes muscle loss and fat loss. So this is natural I think,” one person pointed out.
“Dwayne is now 53- he likely lost a lot of weight because he would like to live longer- and healthier,” a separate user shared.
“He looks great for an old man who put his body through so much wear and tear. You try being a WWE superstar for years then let’s see what you look like after 50,” another comment read.
The 53-year-old actor sparked health concerns after walking the red carpet at the prestigious film festival
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Image credits: galafr
Others said that, despite the weight loss, the Red Notice actor is still more muscular “than probably 99% of guys.”
The former WWE star hasn’t addressed any weight loss rumors.
At the peak of his wrestling career, Dwayne reportedly ate between 6,000 and 8,000 calories a day.
Now, he eats six meals a day and works with nutritionists to ensure his food meets his “very specific” macronutrient requirements, he told Men’s Health.
“Hope he is ok. Fast weight loss is not always a good sign,” one netizen noted
Image credits: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Gisela Schober/Getty Images
Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie revealed that he asked the actor to get “bigger” and “puffier” to play UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the biopic.
“I’m in my fifth level of life. [But] when Benny Safdie says, ‘Hey, I need you to … ,’ [I go], ‘Okay, I’ll try it,’’” Dwayne said.
To prepare for the role, the Moana star said he did morning cardio and strength training. Over the years, he has shifted the focus of his workouts, moving away from what he called “ego training” and replacing it with “smart” training.
Image credits: Marilla Sicilia/Archivio Marilla Sicilia/Mondadori Portfolio
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The Smashing Machine also stars his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt as Mark Kerr’s then-wife Dawn Staples.
The sports drama follows Kerr’s rise to UFC glory, his subsequent dependence on opioids, and his relationship with Staples. It is scheduled for release on October 3.
The Rock reportedly spent up to four hours in the makeup chair and had to wear 13 to 14 prosthetics for the role.
Smashing Machine director Benny Safdie asked The Rock to get “bigger” and “puffier” for the role
Image credits: A24
The biopic, which earned positive reviews from critics and generated awards buzz for the actor, received a 15-minute standing ovation at the prestigious festival on Monday (September 1).
It was also nominated for the Golden Lion, the highest honor awarded to a film at the Venice festival.
Ahead of the premiere, Dwayne said he was “really hungry” for roles that challenged him and set him apart from the Hollywood action films he’s known for.
Image credits: franci_alberding
“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?'” he said, as per the Hollywood Reporter.
He also said that “chasing the box office” often pushes actors “into a category and into a corner,” where fans expect them to play similar roles in every film.
When he was a wrestler, the Moana star reportedly consumed over 6,000 calories a day
Image credits: therock
He continued: “This is your lane, and this is what you do, and this is what people want you to be, and this what Hollywood wants you to be.’ I understood that, and I made those movies, and I liked them and they were fun.
“I just had this burning desire and this voice that was saying, ‘What if? What if there is more? What if I can?'” the Fast & Furious actor explained.
“A lot of times it’s harder for us, or at least for me, to know what you’re capable of when you’ve been pigeonholed into something.”
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The 53-year-old thanked director Benny Safdie and co-star Emily Blunt for encouraging him to take on the challenge and helping him realize that he was capable of playing a more mature role.
“Sometimes it takes people who you love and you respect, like Emily and Benny, to say you can,” he said.
“He’s aging. That’s what aging looks like,” commented one fan after some people suggested the actor had used Ozempic
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