The story

Dwayne Johnson revealed on Instagram that he lost approximately 50 pounds for his role in the upcoming film Lizard Music, where he portrays a character known as Chicken Man. The 54-year-old actor now weighs 235 pounds, his lowest weight since his freshman football season at the University of Miami. Johnson said he took almost a year to drop the weight in what he called a smart, wise, and healthy way.

Johnson weighed approximately 282 pounds when he began filming The Smashing Machine, where he played MMA legend Mark Kerr. He had to maintain that weight for roughly three and a half months during filming and then directly moved into the live-action Moana movie with only two to three weeks in between, requiring him to keep the size for that role as well. Johnson said he injured his elbow and calf during The Smashing Machine production and carried the extra weight for around eight and a half months total.

Johnson attributed his transformation to cutting out all refined sugars, partitioning carbohydrates strictly around his training, and keeping fat intake at 50 to 60 grams daily. He said at his current weight and body composition, he has never felt better in terms of strength, endurance, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, inflammation, joints, insulin sensitivity, stress hormones, immune function, and pumps. Johnson remains a member of the TKO Board of Directors and last wrestled at WrestleMania 40 in 2024.