Dwayne Johnson "The Rock" – the man who built a career on his strength and muscles – has been looking significantly lighter lately.

The Rock's slimmer appearance has sparked curiosity and commentary, and the actor explained the change during the "In Conversation With..." series at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, People reported.

Johnson, who remains muscular, admitted that he lost weight for a movie role. The project is called Lizard Music and is based on the novel of the same name by Daniel Pinkwater.

"We're going to be making a movie that's very bizarre. The central character is an eccentric man in his 70s called Chicken Man, and his best friend is... a 70-year-old chicken," the star said.

"I'm so excited because I have the chance to transform myself again, just like in The Smashing Machine. I can't wait," Johnson added.

In The Smashing Machine, he plays former MMA fighter and UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr, a role for which he gained significant muscle mass. For Lizard Music, the actor did the opposite—he lost weight.

"This is me after losing weight. And I still have a long way to go," he said.

The Smashing Machine recently debuted to rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival, and there is already talk that the role could earn Johnson his first Oscar nomination. | BGNES