Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has rippling pectorals and plenty of tattoos, but that won't be his natural body you see in the live-action 'Moana'.

Johnson cleared up speculation about his impressive physique in recently leaked photos from the live-action 'Moana' set, revealing that his muscular appearance as demigod Maui comes from a specially designed suit rather than additional bulking up.

In the animated film, Maui is a trickster demigod and has a magical fish hook that lets him transform into different creatures. His tattoos, which are much different than Johnson's, tell of his deeds and include a small version of himself that comes to life occasionally.

Johnson previously voiced the character in the animated version of the film.

The 52-year-old actor addressed the viral set photos that showed him shirtless while filming the upcoming adaptation.

"That's a suit that took a long time to put on. So, I'm so happy you said, 'You bulked up,' because when you say, 'You bulked up,' that means you couldn't tell," Johnson explained to 'Extra'.

The star detailed the lengthy daily process of getting into character, pointing out how much work it took each day to fully transform himself into the real-life Maui.

"That is a couple of hours every day of transforming, putting that on." He also shared how the paparazzi managed to capture the images despite their attempts at privacy. "We shot outside and when those pictures surfaced, I was like, 'Sh-t, we got caught,' cause we were putting up, like, walls so there was no paparazzi. But they got into boats and started shooting pictures."

Still, Johnson seemed pleased that the prosthetic work was convincing enough to fool viewers.

The star has also encouraged moviegoers to sing in the theaters when they see the film, after controversy erupted regarding 'Wicked' and theaters asking fans not to sing along.

The live-action adaptation is scheduled for release in 2026, following the animated sequel 'Moana 2,' which hits theaters on November 27, 2024.

Tags
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson