Watch: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Unveils Weight Loss Transformation That Will Make You Do a Double Take
There’s no telling how far Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will go for a role.
After all, the Moana star looked nearly unrecognizable on the New York set of his upcoming adventure film Lizard Music, as he was spotted in costume to play a 70-something-year-old man.
For the fantasy movie based on the 1976 children’s novel of the same name, the 54-year-old sported a bucket hat, a trench coat and dad sneakers to bring his character, The Chicken Man, to life. In addition to the geriatric garb—including a goofy tie—Johnson’s cut jawline disappeared behind a scraggly gray beard during the Oct. 20 shoot.
Indeed, the role is a departure from Johnson’s affinity for playing action heroes in blockbusters like Jumanji, Black Adam and the Fast & Furious franchise. The epic helmed by Benny Safdie (one half of the directing team behind Uncut Gems) follows The Chicken Man and a young boy as they uncover a secret universe where lizards make music.
And finding a new lane on camera was long overdue, according to Johnson. As he explained at the Toronto International Film Festival 2025, per The Hollywood Reporter, “I wanted something like this for such a long time.”
Aside from excitement about the highly anticipated project’s whimsical plot, fans are also looking forward to Safdie and Johnson joining forces for the second time. They first worked together on Safdie’s solo directorial debut, The Smashing Machine, in which Johnson portrayed UFC fighter Mark Kerr.
Photo by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
While Johnson’s young costar is played by fourth-grade actor Theo Clark Leber, the film also features Hollywood veterans Rachel McAdams, Colman Domingo and Regina Hall in roles still kept under wraps.
And Lizard Music is not the WWE alum’s only dramatic movie metamorphosis. For the live-action version of Moana, released in June, Johnson rocked a muscle suit and a lengthy black wig to become demigod Maui onscreen.
Photo by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
“It’s not like Smashing Machine, where it’s just a little bit [of hair],” Johnson exclusively told E! News ahead of the premiere. “This is long, beautiful, luscious.”
Read on for more shocking celebrity hair transformations.
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