While wrestling fans have been holding out hope for a return to the ring for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, he appears significantly smaller these days. The Hollywood star, who has a number of projects in the works including a live-action adaptation of “Moana” and a Martin Scorsese crime drama, appears to be fully focused on his acting career, leaving professional wrestling on the back burner.
The Rock’s journey to Hollywood stardom began after a successful career in WWE. He first signed with the company in 1996 after his football career did not take off. After a few difficult years where he struggled to connect with the audience, his natural charisma was finally allowed to shine through on the microphone, and his popularity skyrocketed. This eventually caught the attention of Hollywood, and he has since become one of the most bankable actors in the world.
Despite his success in Hollywood, The Rock has never completely turned his back on the wrestling industry. He has made several in-ring comebacks over the years and is currently a member of the TKO Board of Directors. His most recent on-screen appearance was at the Elimination Chamber premium live event in February, where he was involved in a storyline with John Cena and Cody Rhodes.
His next film project is “The Smashing Machine,” a biopic on the life of legendary MMA fighter and two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, Mark Kerr. The role has required a dramatic physical transformation for Johnson, who is known for his muscular physique.
The film, which is directed by Benny Safdie and also stars Emily Blunt, is already generating Oscar buzz for Johnson’s performance. Johnson himself has stated that he was “really scared” to take on the role, which explores Kerr’s struggles with addiction to painkillers and opioids. His co-star, Emily Blunt, has said it was “spooky” to see Johnson fully disappear into the character. The role also required him to spend three to four hours in prosthetic makeup each day.
While the teases of matches with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes had fans excited, it now appears that The Rock’s focus is firmly on his acting career.
The Rock is going viral for his new slimmed down appearance 👀 pic.twitter.com/bNbGLqWxEe
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) September 1, 2025
