Lily James drew attention on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday, arriving in a chic black gown for the screening of Swiped, a biopic about dating-app entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe Herd.
Swiped, which will stream on Disney+ and is due in the U.S. and U.K. on Sept. 19, follows Wolfe Herd’s early career at Tinder and her decision to found Bumble after encountering misogynistic behavior on the app. James plays the lead role and spent time on the carpet posing for selfies and signing autographs with fans; she was photographed with co-stars Ben Schnetzer and Jackson White.
Also appearing in Toronto were Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, who attended festival events to promote The Smashing Machine, a biographical sports drama directed by Benny Safdie. Johnson plays mixed martial artist Mark Kerr and Blunt portrays his then-wife, Dawn. The film, based in part on a 2002 HBO documentary of the same name, chronicles Kerr’s rise in fighting alongside struggles with substance abuse, a 1999 hospitalization and a later rehab stint. The Smashing Machine is scheduled for release Oct. 3.
Johnson drew particular attention for a dramatic change in his appearance. The actor, long known for his muscular build, appeared noticeably slimmer; publicity materials and press coverage say he lost significant weight for the role and used prosthetics and a wig to approximate Kerr’s look. The transformation sparked discussion on social media, and some outlets reported public speculation about whether the change involved prescription weight-loss medications.
Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter that he took the role because he was "hungry" to expand his range. "There was just a voice inside of me, a little voice, that said, 'Well, what if I could do more — I want to do more and what does that look like?'" he said.
Commenting on the physical demands of such a transformation, Kunal Makwana, a personal trainer and founder of KMAK Fitness, told the Daily Mail that losing substantial weight — particularly while trying to maintain muscle mass — typically requires a tightly controlled calorie deficit, high protein intake and disciplined training. Makwana described a regimen of measured portions of lean proteins, vegetables and controlled complex carbohydrates, with strict avoidance of processed foods.
Both Swiped and The Smashing Machine are part of a broader slate of films drawing established stars to TIFF this year. Swiped adds to recent cinematic interest in the origins of technology companies and their leaders, while The Smashing Machine revisits the early days of mixed martial arts and the personal costs associated with the sport’s rise.
Festival appearances by James, Blunt and Johnson underline TIFF’s role as a promotional hub for fall releases, giving filmmakers and cast members opportunities to reach critics, industry professionals and international audiences ahead of wide distribution. Swiped and The Smashing Machine will continue their promotional runs ahead of their respective release dates in the coming weeks.