A photo of a much smaller Dwayne Johnson got over 4.8 million views on X and had fans asking about his health, then a Community Note flagged it

A photo of a much smaller Dwayne Johnson went viral on X, drawing over two million views and leaving fans asking about his health, but a Community Note flagged the image as manipulated. As reported by VT, the image surprised users accustomed to the actor’s famously muscular physique.

The photo, which appeared to show the 54-year-old at an event with a noticeably smaller frame, was shared with a caption claiming “those shoulders used to have their own zip code.” Many fans were confused by the supposed transformation, with one user writing, “Bro went from The Rock to just Dwayne, what’s going on?”

Another user chimed in, “From The Rock to The Pebble,” while others appeared concerned, with one adding, “Hope he is alright!”

The viral photo was not what it seemed

According to VT, the viral image had been digitally altered from an older photo of Johnson taken at CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas on April 11, 2024. The original image shows the Jumanji star speaking during a Walt Disney Studios presentation in a white tank top.

A Community Note attached to the viral post flagged the image as manipulated, stating, “This image is 100% AI edited.” The note pointed to his build at CinemaCon 2024, four days after WrestleMania XL, when it said he had a bulkier cut.

While the viral photo was altered, Johnson has undergone a real transformation for a new movie role. He was pictured looking almost unrecognizable on the New York set of his upcoming fantasy film, Lizard Music, made up as a man in his 70s wearing a bucket hat, trench coat, tie, and sneakers, with his usually clean-shaven face concealed beneath a gray beard.

The look was achieved with prosthetic makeup by Kazu Hiro, who won Oscars for transforming Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour and making Charlize Theron resemble Megyn Kelly in Bombshell. In the movie, Johnson plays an eccentric elderly character known as the Chicken Man, who befriends a young boy and helps him uncover a mysterious world where lizards make music.

The film is based on Daniel Pinkwater’s 1976 children’s novel of the same name and is directed by Benny Safdie, who previously worked with Johnson on the 2025 drama The Smashing Machine. Theo Clark Leber, the Chicago-area fourth grader cast opposite Johnson, stars in the live-action cast alongside Tim Heidecker, Alicia Silverstone, and Regina Hall, while Colman Domingo, Rachel McAdams, Jeff Goldblum, and David Krumholtz will contribute voice performances.

Johnson previously said at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival that he was eager to pursue more challenging roles. “I wanted something like this for such a long time,” he said.