Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stunned fans by showing off his new look at the Venice Film Festival.
The former wrestler and A-list actor, who was in Venice to promote his new film The Smashing Machine alongside Emily Blunt, was markedly more slimmed down than he’s ever publicly appeared over the weekend.
The biopic, about pro wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr, will be Johnson’s first starring role in a serious, dramatic film after years of headlining blockbuster films and action franchises. Oscar buzz for his work in the film is already swirling, per AP.
Reflecting on his career pivot Monday, Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter, “This transformation was something I was really hungry to do.” Even though he’s grateful “to have the career that I’ve had over the years and to make the films that I’ve made,” he explained that he wanted to “do more” on screen.
In more comments to Variety, he explained further, “it had become about box office.”
“And you chase the box office, and the box office can be very loud and it can become very resounding and it can push you into a category and into a corner,” he explained. “This is your lane and this is what you do and this is what Hollywood wants you to do.”
The physical transformation Johnson debuted in Venice seemed to be part of the actor’s new era—leaning away from the bulked action star persona he said had “pigeonholed” him.
As he told AP, “I’ve been scared to go deep and go intense and go raw until now, until I’ve had this opportunity.”
