January 1, The Rock’s Slim New Look Stuns Venice Crowd

Wyatt’s Take

• Dwayne Johnson turned heads at the Venice Film Festival.
• Fans were surprised by his lean new look and emotional reaction to his film’s debut.
• He’s stepping outside his action-hero type, aiming for a more serious role.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shocked folks in Venice, Italy, this weekend. He showed off a much slimmer frame while attending the Miu Miu Women’s Tales event at the famous film festival.

At 53, Johnson looked relaxed in a light blue, printed shirt and black pants. He smiled for cameras and stood confidently during the event.

Fans online were quick to notice his transformation.

“Yep had to do a double take..” one user wrote.

“He’s so lean,” another commented.

“The Rock slimming down and still owning every room…legendary glow-up unlocked,” a different fan shared.

“New look, same legend,” said another. One person put it simply: “He looks great”

Johnson will play MMA fighter Mark Kerr in his new movie, “The Smashing Machine,” directed by Benny Safdie. The role called for hours in the makeup chair and required many prosthetics to achieve the look.

The movie also stars Emily Blunt as Kerr’s then-wife, Dawn Staples. It tells the tough story of Kerr’s time in the UFC and his struggles off the mat.

During the film’s premiere, Johnson and his fellow actors got a 15-minute standing ovation. At the event, Johnson was seen wiping away tears as he soaked in the crowd’s praise. Director Benny Safdie also appeared emotional.

“This transformation was something I was really hungry to do,” Johnson explained at a press conference. “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 spoke on the problem of typecasting: “You chase the box office, and the box office, in our business that we know, is very loud, and it can be very resounding, and it can push you into a category and into a corner… I just had this burning desire and this voice that was saying, ‘What if? What if there is more? What if I can?'”

He also credited his co-stars: “Sometimes it takes people who you love and you respect, like Emily and Benny, to say you can.’

Johnson’s new movie, “The Smashing Machine,” comes out in theaters on October 3.

Don’t miss out when a hometown hero takes a risk to bring real stories to the screen.

Wyatt Matters

Seeing a big star like Johnson take on new challenges reminds us that anyone can break the mold with grit and support. Middle America knows hard work and taking a chance leads to real growth—on the screen or in everyday life.

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