Dwayne Johnson Spends 5 Hours Daily in Makeup Chair for Benny Safdie’s New Movie ‘Lizard Music’

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson isn't slowing down when it comes to extreme screen transformations. Right after completing work on *The Smashing Machine*, the superstar is jumping straight into another creative partnership with director Benny Safdie for a new project titled *Lizard Music*. Speaking at Disney's D23 convention on Sunday, Johnson revealed that camera crews are already rolling on the feature. The actor candidly broke down the intense daily routine required for the role, explaining that he spends a staggering five hours in the makeup chair every single day. The extensive prosthetic work is necessary because Johnson is taking on the role of a 70-year-old man.

What is Dwayne Johnson's new movie Lizard Music about?

While details surrounding the plot remain under wraps, Johnson gave fans a bold teaser regarding what to expect visually and atmospherically. The actor likened *Lizard Music* to a dark, surreal classic, describing it as essentially *Willy Wonka* coming straight out of the mind of Benny Safdie. That unique description hints at a project packed with weirdness, imagination, and tension. Safdie has built a reputation for crafting hyper-intense, immersive cinema, and pairing that distinct vibe with a story reminiscent of a twisted fantasy world suggests audiences are in for something completely unexpected from the pair.

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Why is Dwayne Johnson spending 5 hours in makeup?

The brutal five-hour prosthetics schedule marks another dramatic departure for the action star, who typically leads massive studio blockbusters looking like his everyday self. Aging up decades to play a septuagenarian demands heavy cosmetic engineering, which Johnson is tackling head-on for Safdie’s vision. This continuous back-to-back collaboration between Johnson and Safdie highlights a major pivot in the actor's career choices. By tackling gritty, character-driven projects like *The Smashing Machine* followed immediately by the surreal prosthetic demands of *Lizard Music*, Johnson is leaning heavily into transformative acting roles. Production on the feature is currently underway.