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Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson's heroic 'Hercules' transformation

Bryan Alexander
USA TODAY
Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson stars in "Hercules."

LOS ANGELES — There is no place to hide on a movie screen when playing the Greek icon Hercules. The first superhero had a demigod body in a time of skimpy clothing.

That's why Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, 42, would perform frequent detailed inspections to make sure he was showing the right stuff everywhere when filming Hercules (out Friday) last year in Budapest.

"Every 72 hours I would strip down to my underwear and get someone on the team to take 360-degree pictures of my entire body. Then I would send the pictures to my (training) coach," says Johnson. "It was an incredible process, the constant management of the visual."

The 6-foot-5 actor believes he and the filmmakers have nailed this mighty visual, from the full beard (that's yak hair) to the body scars on the real-deal warrior's body.

"I've been in the business for 15 years. And I have never had the opportunity to transform into something like this before," says Johnson. "It opened my eyes to the level of detail required."

Johnson has dreamed of taking the Hercules tale to the screen since seeing the famous 1958 version starring Steve Reeves. The stars finally aligned under director Brett Ratner, but not before Johnson had to endure his own formidable labors.

The bodywork started with 22 weeks of a seven-meals-daily diet along with daily two-hour workouts. Once he reached his peak look, Johnson had a setback — he suffered a severe pelvis tendon injury during a high-profile WrestleMania bout. It eventually led to an emergency triple-hernia operation weeks before shooting was to begin.

The entire film was delayed for two weeks (costing about $1 million a week) as Johnson recuperated.

"But I gave Brett and the studio my word, that I was going to be ready," says Johnson. "Once I made it to Budapest, it was full-tilt boogie training."

There, he rose at 3:30 a.m. to begin the diet, often eating on the go from plastic containers.

"He had worked out long before I was thinking about getting up," says Ratner. "I would taunt him with chocolate on the set. Nothing. I have never seen such discipline."

There was no cheating allowed during filming — IMAX screens don't lie.

"If I had pizza slices, you could see the difference in my body the next day, especially in the midsection," says Johnson. "And with Hercules there was always a lot of body showing."

Dwayne Johnson followed a strict diet and fitness regimen to achieve his look for the title role of "Hercules."

The daily transformation was intricate. The Rock's tattoos would be covered while Hercules' scars were added. His beard alone required 2½ hours of careful yak-hair application.

"A lace beard looks fake and and it doesn't move as a real beard would, especially in tight shots," says Johnson. "Sitting there for 2½ hours, you think, 'Is this the most efficient way to do this? No. Is it the highest quality way? Yes.' "

Johnson believes even his Hercules mentor would be impressed with the final product.

"I think Steve Reeves would be proud of the physique and the look of this generation's Hercules," he says. "And I think he would say, 'There is no way you ate all of that food.' "

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