Dwayne Johnson has finally revealed the real reason behind losing weight.

The WWE star’s fans were shocked to see his “slimmed” physique, after he stepped out for the world premiere of his new movie The Smashing Machine during the Venice Film Festival earlier this month.

Now, during a recent Q&A session at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival’s “In Conversation With…” series, Johnson revealed he is “teaming up” with The Smashing Machine‘s director, Benny Safdie, for an upcoming project and he is shedding weight for it.

“We’re gonna make a film called Lizard Music, which is based on a novel written by Daniel Pinkwater,” he revealed.

Sharing insights of the character he shared, “(Johnson’s role) is a very whimsical and eccentric 70-something-year-old man called the Chicken Man. And his best friend is a 70-something-year-old chicken.”

As the Jumanji actor bulked up for portraying former MMA fighter and UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr, in Smashing Machine, now, Johnson joked he is eating “less chicken” to shed weight for the new role.

“This is me slimmed down,” he revealed. “In the process of slimming down. I still have a long ways to go.”

“I’m so excited because I get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in Smashing Machine. Can’t wait,” Rock added.

Teyana Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio onscreen chemistry in their new movie, One Battle After Another, hit different but off-screen, they became instant friends.

In a recent chat with The New York Times on Monday, September 8, the costars revealed that their friendship started long before filming.

When asked how Taylor was cast as Perfidia, DiCaprio said, “I’ve known Teyana for a long time.”

“Paul and I were talking about who would play this lightning rod of a character that was a radical but also somebody that was able to manipulate,” he explained. “The echoes of her character reverberate throughout the entire movie, and every character is emotionally scarred by Perfidia.”

The Titanic star added, “So we knew we needed to get somebody that could be not only bold and outspoken, but bring that improvisational talent of truth in the moment…She just embodied that character in a way that I don’t think anyone else could. We’re all left as carnage after she comes onscreen, picking up the pieces of our lives.”

Taylor revealed how their friendship began: “Funny thing: Me and Leo actually met at Diana Ross’s birthday party some years back and instantly became best buds. That’s my wingman, my partner in crime!”

In the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed action-thriller the actors’ off screen bond has clearly translated into on screen chemistry.

Howard Stern, the shock jock and self-anointed “king of all-media,” isn’t about to disappear from the airwaves. 

The radio personality behind SiriusXM’s long-running “Howard Stern Show” said Monday he remains in talks with the entertainment company over a new contract after a prank left some listeners wondering whether he was leaving the platform. 

“SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future, they’ve approached me. They’ve sat down with me like they normally do and they’re fantastic,” Stern, 71, said during his show. “We’ve been talking.”

A SiriusXM spokesperson wouldn’t address the company’s talks with Stern. 

The comments came after a stunt Stern pulled on his show in collaboration with Andy Cohen, a fellow SiriusXM host and TV personality. Instead of the normal kickoff from Stern on Monday morning, listeners were greeted by Cohen telling them he was taking over the slot and rebranding it as “Andy 100.” 

“This is, I know, not the voice you expected to hear,” said Cohen. The host of “Andy Cohen Live” went on to say that this was not how things were meant to go.

“This was supposed to be a cleaner hand off,” Cohen said. “I’m kind of winging it.”

Fifteen minutes later, Stern returned to the airwaves and thanked Cohen for his help pulling off the hoax. “Lest anyone think that was real, that was all masterminded by me,” Stern said.

Addressing rumors about the show getting canceled, Stern added: “Everything you’ve been reading in the paper about me or about Robin is completely false.”

Stern’s contract with SiriusXM expires at the end of this year. The radio host has extended his contract with SiriusXM twice before, in 2010 and again in 2020 with a five-year, $500 million deal, according to Forbes.

The Associated Press

contributed to this report.