Inside Dwayne Johnson’s dramatic Mark Kerr transformation, but why are Hollywood beefcakes shrinking?

Dubai: Here's an honest confession: we've all instantly paid attention when Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Hollywood’s resident beefcake, flexed shirtless for the cameras — but this weekend in Venice, the 53-year-old star turned heads for an entirely different reason: he showed up looking noticeably leaner.

On Saturday, Johnson attended the Miu Miu Women’s Tales event at the Venice Film Festival ahead of the world premiere of his new movie The Smashing Machine.

Clad in a light blue short-sleeved silk shirt with a colorful print, paired with black trousers, the former WWE star looked relaxed and confident as he posed for cameras. Social media lit up almost instantly.

“Yep had to do a double take,” one fan commented on X.

Another added, “The Rock slimming down and still owning every room… legendary glow-up unlocked.”

Others chimed in with praise: “He’s so lean,” wrote one; “New look, same legend,” said another.

Johnson has not publicly addressed his slimmer appearance, but the conversation has only added to the anticipation surrounding The Smashing Machine — a dramatic turn that could redefine his Hollywood career.

The discipline behind the body

While his Venice look sparked weight-loss rumors, Johnson has always been open about the disciplined regimen that powers his physicality.

At the height of his wrestling career, he consumed up to 8,000 calories a day.

Today, he typically eats six meals daily, carefully balanced with the help of nutrition experts. “It’s better to stay in shape than to get in shape,” he told Men’s Health.

Still, he embraces viral cheat meals, ranging from five PB&J sandwiches to stacks of his “world-famous Rock pancakes.” “One is none,” Johnson joked. “Get two, three, four, five of it… just lay it all out.”

Smarter training with age

For The Smashing Machine, Johnson immersed himself in MMA training, balancing cardio with strength work. But as he’s gotten older, he’s shifted from “ego lifting” to smarter, sustainable routines.

“There’s a difference between the pain you can work through and the pain where you have to stop,” he explained. “I had to learn that.”

Battle scars and gut health

His physique also tells the story of past injuries. In a 2021 Wired interview, Johnson explained why his abs don’t look picture-perfect: a brutal wrestling injury tore his abdomen wall and led to a triple hernia surgery.

“So, they’re not perfect abs,” he admitted. “More like a five-and-a-half pack.”

In 2025, he revealed that years of antibiotics had damaged his gut lining. With the guidance of Dr. Mark Hyman, he rebuilt his digestive health using probiotics and plant-based compounds. Within eight weeks, he said, he felt back “on the right track.”

Redefining strength

Between his leaner look in Venice, the buzz around The Smashing Machine, and his evolving approach to fitness, Johnson seems to be entering a new era. Once defined by box office blockbusters and brute force, he is now pushing toward layered roles and a different kind of strength — one rooted in vulnerability, resilience, and reinvention.

As one fan wrote after seeing him in Venice: “New look, same legend.”

And maybe that’s the point. For The Rock, transformation isn’t about losing or gaining — it’s about proving there’s always more to him than meets the eye.

Here's another nugget to much on. Dwayne isn't the only who has visibly shrunk with advancing age.

At 56, even Dave Bautista (still lovingly called Batista by wrestling fans) are no longer the hulking masses of muscle they once were. Recent appearances shows him looking leaner, softer, and — dare we say it — a little more mortal. Turns out even the biggest action stars can’t out-bench press Father Time.

For anyone clutching their pearls, this isn’t shocking. It’s the same arc Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone went through as they pushed 60.

It looks like the human body simply doesn’t keep up that kind of mass forever, especially after decades of pounding workouts, Hollywood action roles, and yes — a bit of life with anabolic boost.

According to industry experts, steroids and growth hormones might gift you a monster frame in your prime, but they don’t stop the inevitable downsizing that comes with age, injuries, and changing priorities.

But you got to give it Bautista. He didn't shrink when his physique shrunk. He's now praised more for his acting chops than his size. Like Dwayne, he also seems to have traded bulk for a more sustainable look. It’s a reminder that these men are evolving — moving from cartoonish muscle gods to seasoned actors comfortable in their own skin.

The truth? Muscle loss with age is natural. You can slow it with training, but you can’t cheat biology forever. Even the Rock’s legendary cheat meals can’t rewrite the laws of testosterone decline. And maybe that’s not a bad thing. Because while the biceps shrink, the roles seem to be getting bigger, deeper, and more interesting.

In other words: the pecs may deflate, but the careers are aging better than memes on X.