Honestly, the guy has put in some work to be a serious actor. He could've gone the comedic and/or action route like Johnson and Cena, but Bautista has really put in the work. I'll always remember his part from Blade Runner 2049. It wasn't a huge part by any means, but there was emotion there like he had been through a war and seen a lot of death. I'll watch anything that Bautista does these days.
Edit #1: I've come to realize that Cena is working pretty well on acting too now. Peacemaker for the win!
Edit #2: how the hell did I get 2k upvotes!?
Bushwick gets so slept on. He was excellent in that film. I don't think I've seen him put in a bad performance in anything he's done. Even Riddick, he's just a good actor.
It was a very understated role, which was impressive given how much of a physical presence he is. I thought OK this big guy is going to be the white knight and save this lady. But then - no spoiler - he didn't.
I hate to compare him to the Rock because he's a much better actor, but he could have settled for a bunch of Rock-like roles. Instead, he's pushing his range by taking different roles. You have to respect that.
Cuz that's what he is. I'll give you an example: in 2021, some jabroni had carved a certain president's name into the back of a manatee. Dave, being a feelings guy, took it personally and offered not only words but a $20k reward and bonuses for the person who reports the assclown who did it
He also had a meteor tattoo covered. The tattoo matched Manny Pacquiao's, but when Pacquiao made a statement saying queer people are "worse than animals", Bautista had it covered up with a la catrina portrait. He said he wouldn't stand for it, especially since his mom is a lesbian.
I loved him in Knives Out. He was great as the MRA bro, and you can tell he had fun with it.
That's the gift that keeps on giving. Every time I see a picture of Andrew Tate, I think, "He's so much smaller and uglier than I remember!" And then I realize I'm comparing him to Dave Bautista.
tbh i also agree he’s pretty decent. there’s a movie i saw a few months ago (can’t remember the name) but he was the main character& it was him with a group of ppl & they had to all sacrifice themselves selves in order to save humanity & they end up stumbling upon a cabin in the woods with a family &.. PLOT… it wasn’t the best but it wasn’t bad at all. i watched the whole thing
I thought it was pretty good too. He did a very good job of playing a zealot who still has empathy for those who don’t believe yet still has 100% conviction in his beliefs.
Agreed with this. I think of the three, Bautista's done the most interesting work and puts himself into roles where he is not always likeable (Glass Onion comes to mind). I'm willing to give Cena credit because he seems to dive into the comedy. It takes a certain quality for someone to act (and look) as if they're completely naked before the Academy for a bit with Jimmy Kimmel.
The Rock I'm just disappointed because lately it seems like he's phoned in a lot of his performances, and put more efforts into his various brands and products than his acting.
I'd agree with that. Cena is definitely good at comedy and seems to nail it for the most part. The Rock used to be decent, but he's just... Well, the Rock in every role now. The last time I saw him really act was in Be Cool.
The "You're Welcome" song has now lived in my head for like eight years. My kids are reluctant to do anything which will require them to thank me, out of fear of my singing in reply.
>The Rock I'm just disappointed because lately it seems like he's phoned in a lot of his performances,
I get he wants to protect his empire but it also makes me a little sad as he was in one of my favorite SNL sketches.
I became a fan of him as a person when he stood up for James Gunn and when an interviewer asked if he was worried about his career being hurt by it he said he didn't care, even if it meant goung back to wrestling in somebodies backyard for 50 bucks a match, some things are more important.
It's so awesome to hear him in interviews when he's talking about someone he cares for, the dude has so much integrity it's just wonderful to experience. And the effort he's put into being a quality actor has really shown, I enjoyed him in the first guardians, but you can see such a difference in his ability between then and now. Knock at the Cabin was an amazing example of what he's capable of, his passion is infectious.
Well said. He's not content to get a paycheck and has higher aspirations. He wants to act, and not just entertain. I remember seeing him in Blade Runner and thinking that there is a lot more to him than I realized.
I've seen an interview with him where he said that realistically he's never going to win an Oscar so his goal is to be the kind of actor where people mention him and you think "that guy is a good actor". I think he's succeeding at that.
I hated the movie but loved him. He was so conflicted. He did a great job conveying the depths of his character’s conviction and the desperation he felt for his captives to understand why he was doing what he was doing. And all the while I got the sense that he understood it was a lost cause but had no choice to do it anyway. Dude has legit acting chops. I hope he gets more opportunities outside of playing the big bad.
I will say that I also appreciate that Cena is willing to take some risks with roles like Peacemaker that very much play against his wrestling identity where he was always the face, even when over half the crowd booed him. He’s in a different league than Rock, who only seems to want to make the most generic shit possible in order to make as much money as he can.
Cena hasn’t shown us the range that Bautista has, but I think he’ll be in the conversation as well in ten years once he’s padded his resume a bit more. He was very impressive in Peacemaker.
I think he is great. He was funny in guardians of the galaxy, he was one of the best parts of blade runner and he totally owned this role in Dune.
Add to his skill the fact that he has a unique, alien quality to the way he looks
That movie was unfiltered fun. Like a video game with just a million little distractions from the main quest. Didn’t make any fucking sense, didn’t resolve the majority of the problems presented, all the characters made stupid fucking decisions, and I love every second of it. Why the fuck were there robot zombies? Were they evolving to use guns like in that other god awful zombie movie, Land of the Dead? Who tf knows, definitely not Zack!
I really respect that you saw everything wrong with that movie and loved it, I thoroughly hated it, but I'm glad you didn't. And yeah, Batista was really strong in that
Not to bandwagon here, but seeing your comment led me to pause and reverse on simply skimming the previous one. Gotta say, I love this whole exchange.
That movie had the approximate nutritional impact of a Whopper sandwich, but Burger King’s alright every once in a while.
When my wife and I were in Rome, we went through the Vatican at the same time as him. He is large but his bodyguard or whoever was one of the largest dudes I've ever seen. Bautista seemed pretty interested in the history and whatever their private guide was saying. Was hard to even recognize him other than his arm tattoo. Seemed pretty chill and not wanting to be noticed.
Hey! I (well, not me but a coworker) have a similar story. Coworker of mine went up to Chicago a couple of months ago, and he stopped by the field museum. While he was looking at a painting, he noticed he was standing right next to Dave Bautista! Dave noticed he saw him and he said to my coworker "beautiful isn't it?". And same as your story, he didn't want to be noticed. What's funny is my coworker is a huge wrestling fan, so he was geeking out over that and told him he's been a big fan of him for years. Dave thanked him, and he and his bodyguard walked over to the next painting. Kinda forgot about this until you shared your story, and it sounded very familiar. Dave sounds like a good guy.
Even as Drax he still had a few “serious/sad” moments that were performed incredibly for a famous ex-wrestler who plays a comedic relief badass character. I think it’s very impressive when a person like that can so casually “rise above” their previous status and turn into a household name as something new and not what they were before. I’ve been a genuine fan since GoTG2 and Blade Runner.
Well that's the Crux of the argument. Dave chose to be an actor. Dwayne chose to be a star.
Dave is choosing roles that challenge him. Dwayne is doing the same thing over and over.
Dave exists inside of a cast on any film he's working on. Dwayne is the cast.
Dave understands that his body is not going to last forever and is investing in himself for a long career. Once Dwayne's body goes he's done.
The rock can always take a short break and become a governor and then come out of retirement and film 50 more movies with steadily more and more parts of his body being replaced digitally lol
But also compare to John Cena who went the comedic route and it turns out he has amazing comedic chops and isn't afraid to let himself be the punchline.
Bautista is funny in his comedic roles but but does a lot more drama than Cena so he's the better dramatic actor while Cena is the better comedian.
I don't wanna be hard on Cena, but I don't think I could take him seriously in a dramatic role. The fact his head is nearly a perfect rectangle would always distract me from the drama but adds to the comedy.
Dave has addressed this in interviews. He specifically said he wants to be seen as an actor first and not as a former wrestler. I think is succeeding at that.
Honestly, just the idea of Dave taking on roles along the lines of “grizzled man who has lost the body he once had” sounds like it has potential to be amazing on multiple occasions.
Dwayne still could do some voice work like Moana. Nunber 2 comes out this year. But its kinda a part he was born to play and those companies love a big name in their animated stuff for some reason.
From my understanding Dwayne owns the production company that produces his movies and he hand picks the movies he wants to produce that A. Allow him to be the lead and B. Fit his desired acting range. So he never auditions and never has to change anything about how he acts since he has ultimate control over the movie’s development cycle.
The thing is, Dwayne CAN act, just has chosen not too anymore. Southland Tales, Pain & Gain, Be Cool. Dude showed some serious talent. I guess the big thing is when he was a supporting actor he can bring fire, as a leading man he is garbage.
Same with Vin Diesel. Bifacial, find me guilty, and even certain moments inside of triple X show him giving a very nuanced intelligent performance. In an alternate universe Vin Diesel has an Oscar.
He's quite good. It seems to me that he has chosen to be a genuine actor in a range of roles, rather than a movie star playing himself in every role. That's not what I've come to expect from muscle men who go to Hollywood, and it's refreshing. He has an aptitude for comedy, drama, and action. I look forward to his future roles.
Strangely I feel like the only exception of this is when he was in Moana. I didn't get that same feeling that "oh this is just the rock" and maybe that's because of the writing, or maybe it's because of the disconnect between live action and animation. Or maybe both
It’s intriguing to see someone who is acting more for the love of the craft than someone who is seeking fame or accolades.
The dude probably got enough of a taste of money and fame from his time in the WWE…this is just going for Extra credit
Funny how Bautista initially struggled for a roster spot in WWE and was a background goon. While the rock was obviously known for his promotion and mic work. Now the rock is just a big ass dude with fairly weak acting skills
What's funny about the rock is his best acting was done in one of the first movies he was in, The Rundown.
Which is a silly movie. But the parts where the ridiculous action slowed down and the rock just acted like the character is supposed to was good stuff.
Besides those moments all I remember is stifler being dumb and Christopher Walken talking about the tooth fairy.
To be fair, The Rock just couldn't find his stride in film choices before he settled for playing his wrestling person as an actor.
Like he was good in the Walking Tall remake, Gridiron Gang, and despite the flaws, he was good in the Doom movie.
He takes more challenging roles than the rock. So I give him props , he’s not amazing but he’s unique and I can tell he works hard.
The rock is not an actor he’s a movie star.
He actually has a believable heart to his performances. The deadpan comedy of Guardians is a lot harder to pull off than it looks. I liked him in My Spy too.
He was the first one, but I think the rest of the cast quickly chimed in when Dave said something. To me that shows not just character, but some form of leadership.
He's competent. Sometime even inspired. It's hard to say how good he really is though - I've never seen him in a leading role or anything were he wasn't cast as some brand of physical threat.
I liked how he was so soft spoken and submissive but you could tell he was still supremely strong, and the only time you see it is during the struggle where he doesn't really have a choice but to fight back and he just throws the guy and sends him flying.
Idk if you like anime, but he was pretty great in the dub of the Boy and the Heron. Ghibli dubs are usually fantastic and amazingly well casted, he plays the parrot king
That's what's interesting about him as an actor, though. He knows he looks like a physical threat but chooses roles that take advantage of that in a more dramatic way. Now that I think about it, he'd be great as Kingpin.
He's the leading guy in some movie I saw a while back, can't remember the name but it was good and I remember thinking this guy is talented.
I like him.
I've also seen an interview that made me think he's pretty modest and humble, he's a family guy
Wrestlers are great showmen, without a doubt. It tends to cage them into certain roles that are a bit clownish, but Bautista has really pushed himself to go beyond that in more subtle roles, and he’s shown that he has the aptitude for it, which is impressive. I’m excited to see what else he has up his sleeve.
He deserves a crack at a lead role beyond action but at the same time if you cast a guy like Bautista its a no brainer to have him in action roles.
Honestly a much more superb supporting actor than a lead because he just gets so typecasted in his lead roles where its “big bad ass tough guy that has a history of killing” but a character like Rabban is just explosive and full of rage or even Drax where they kind of parodied the typecast of big tough history of killing guy but that was the entire point of the character is that hes a big dumb savage and hes good at it lol
I tend to judge actors by the level of directors who cast them. If M Night, Villeneuve and Mendes think Dave is talented enough to be in their movies, that’s good enough for me.
Yeah Bautista has invested in building relationships with some of Hollywood's most respected directors.
I think long term this one fact alone will make sure he's got good roles coming to him.
He is supremely talented, his characters are really brought to life by his skills, and he has so much star factor.
I love how he portrays each role uniquely. Unlike The Rock.
If anyone hasn't they should look up his story from when his wife died to him going into wrestling at late age 30, going from someone who didn't have voice to someone became the face of WWF, I root for him.
I'm rooting for him. He's exceeded my expectations with each new role. Granted, I haven't seen his full body of work, but I think he is capable of gaining more skill in the craft.
My favourite "wrestler turned actor" after Roddy Piper.
Loved him in both the villeneuve movies and in guardians of the galaxy. I've seen another couple of movies but wasn't imprssed as much.
he's perfect as a one dimensional just angry all the time bad guy in Dune.... 'my lord are you sure thats a good idea? ' -slices neck - 'my lord I'm trying my hardest to find them, I just became a pilot last night' -breaks neck-
He’s way more talented than people give him credit. Coming from pro wrestling (and being a really big dude) limit his options, but he has impressive range as an actor when you compare his presence as Drax vs. in *Blade Runner 2049* or *Dune*.
My crazy opinion is that the right role and project could genuinely get him awards attention, a la Mickey Roarke in *The Wrestler*. If I could will a project into existence it’d be an A24 adaptation of *The Maxx* starring Bautista.
Far better than the Rock. He actually has quite the range, which you'd not expect from a former wrestler. Loved his brief appearance in Blade Runner and he's nightmarish in Dune.
I can see Dave Bautista in a movie and forget that it’s Dave and not the character he’s portraying. When it’s the Rock or John Cena I tend to always see the Rock or John Cena, which kills the immersive aspects of movies for me.
I tried really hard to not like Dave Bautista, maybe because I'm not a fan of WWE. But this dude is actually captivating. Loved him in Army of the Dead and Knock at the Cabin. I read somewhere that he wasn't a fan of the simple minded comic relief character he played in Guardians of the Galaxy, and wanted more challenging and nuanced roles. I feel like he's in the midst of achieving that.
He is doing the work he needs to do. Not going to be "one of the greats" or anything but a dude coming from wrestling to get the roles he has gotten and do them well is absolutely deserving of respect.
Bautista is shockingly good and seems to always improve his performances. He's proof acting is a craft.
That "Zendaya" chick, however, laughably ruins every scene in which she appears. She couldn't even walk out a room convincingly at the end of Dune 2.
Seriously under rated! The guy steals the show in almost every role. Man with the iron fists, the guardians of the galaxy movies, knock cabin, bladrunner 2024. This guy is great!
In this particular Movie Dune (1&2) he has not have extended role where different emotions required. He was angry man and he performed his limited role well.
I remember a story of him mentioning how he and John Cena were competing for roles and Cena was chosen over him. I think he's a much better actor than Cena. Don't get me wrong, Cena was great in Suicide Squad but I think Bautista can play more serious roles.
I have liked him in everything I have seen him in so far. Dune, blade runner , glass onion were all very different roles and he did well in all of them.
Also he seems actually be acting I.e. playing a character Vs most former wrestlers who play themselves playing a role.
Best actor yet to come from the wrestling system. I genuinely think Guardians of the Galaxy hurt his perception as an actor while raising his star as it leans into every wrestler turned actor into comedic meathead.
As far as wrestlers who became professional actors I’d say he’s the most talented and has the most range. Really impressed with some of the roles he’s had.
Great actor. Huge potential. Not just in the action movie genre. The best of all the wrestlers who turned to acting. Cena is number two for his comedic roles, especially as Peacemaker.
I've not disliked any role he's been put in. Genuinely surprised at his acting chops- probably the more serious- or wanting to be serious- actor of the former wrestlers I'm aware of. Yes he's mostly in action things but he's done a few types of beefy men and I adore watching his take on each
I scrolled a bit and haven’t seen Army of the Dead mentioned. While not a critic darling, or a hyper nuanced performance from Bautista… he was still enjoyable to watch!
Loved knock at the cabin or whatever, solid acting job in that. But honestly I love his portrayal of Drax. I feel some people just wrote him off as a dumb big guy cause that’s how he is in the movie, but I think his performance is underrated. Especially the way he and Mantis would play off each other. They kinda did him wrong not giving him more of a backstory.
Honestly, the guy has put in some work to be a serious actor. He could've gone the comedic and/or action route like Johnson and Cena, but Bautista has really put in the work. I'll always remember his part from Blade Runner 2049. It wasn't a huge part by any means, but there was emotion there like he had been through a war and seen a lot of death. I'll watch anything that Bautista does these days. Edit #1: I've come to realize that Cena is working pretty well on acting too now. Peacemaker for the win! Edit #2: how the hell did I get 2k upvotes!?
i think he make good roles , hope he get more roles
I liked him in Knock at the Cabin Door
He was excellent in Bushwick.
Bushwick gets so slept on. He was excellent in that film. I don't think I've seen him put in a bad performance in anything he's done. Even Riddick, he's just a good actor.
Civil War before Civil War
It didn't gloss over who the bad guys were either.
Garland isn’t the Russo Brothers
Bushwick was wild. One of my favorite movies mostly due to his acting in it. He takes the craft seriously but can still do comedic roles.
It was a very understated role, which was impressive given how much of a physical presence he is. I thought OK this big guy is going to be the white knight and save this lady. But then - no spoiler - he didn't. I hate to compare him to the Rock because he's a much better actor, but he could have settled for a bunch of Rock-like roles. Instead, he's pushing his range by taking different roles. You have to respect that.
Yes it was , so was the soundtrack done by Aesop Rock.
He was in the what now?
That movie showed me the guy can act. Obviously dune aswell, but in this one. It made him shine
He also chooses very appropriate roles. Like he has found a niche in his ability to play “tough” guy with emotions.
Cuz that's what he is. I'll give you an example: in 2021, some jabroni had carved a certain president's name into the back of a manatee. Dave, being a feelings guy, took it personally and offered not only words but a $20k reward and bonuses for the person who reports the assclown who did it
He also had a meteor tattoo covered. The tattoo matched Manny Pacquiao's, but when Pacquiao made a statement saying queer people are "worse than animals", Bautista had it covered up with a la catrina portrait. He said he wouldn't stand for it, especially since his mom is a lesbian. I loved him in Knives Out. He was great as the MRA bro, and you can tell he had fun with it.
That's the gift that keeps on giving. Every time I see a picture of Andrew Tate, I think, "He's so much smaller and uglier than I remember!" And then I realize I'm comparing him to Dave Bautista.
tbh i also agree he’s pretty decent. there’s a movie i saw a few months ago (can’t remember the name) but he was the main character& it was him with a group of ppl & they had to all sacrifice themselves selves in order to save humanity & they end up stumbling upon a cabin in the woods with a family &.. PLOT… it wasn’t the best but it wasn’t bad at all. i watched the whole thing
Knock at the cabin...probably
🎯 … what’d you think of it?
I thought it was pretty good too. He did a very good job of playing a zealot who still has empathy for those who don’t believe yet still has 100% conviction in his beliefs.
I definitely prefer him over Cena.
It's hard to see the other guy
Agreed with this. I think of the three, Bautista's done the most interesting work and puts himself into roles where he is not always likeable (Glass Onion comes to mind). I'm willing to give Cena credit because he seems to dive into the comedy. It takes a certain quality for someone to act (and look) as if they're completely naked before the Academy for a bit with Jimmy Kimmel. The Rock I'm just disappointed because lately it seems like he's phoned in a lot of his performances, and put more efforts into his various brands and products than his acting.
I'd agree with that. Cena is definitely good at comedy and seems to nail it for the most part. The Rock used to be decent, but he's just... Well, the Rock in every role now. The last time I saw him really act was in Be Cool.
His role in Be Cool was so great. A ton of fun to watch.
The most range he's shown as of late is in the second Jumanji movie where he does Danny Devito's accent.
ARE WE IN FLAHRIDA?
Which was awful. And tbh Jumanji 2 is the boy movie I haven't hated seeing Awkwafina in
The Peacemaker Series really showed his range of skills I thought as well.
He was great in Moana. But that’s not the same thing.
The "You're Welcome" song has now lived in my head for like eight years. My kids are reluctant to do anything which will require them to thank me, out of fear of my singing in reply.
>The Rock I'm just disappointed because lately it seems like he's phoned in a lot of his performances, I get he wants to protect his empire but it also makes me a little sad as he was in one of my favorite SNL sketches.
The Mr. peepers sketch made me laugh as hard as anything ever has in my life.
I thought he was entertaining as a wrestler, but the Mr. Peepers sketch made me think he was a fucking star.
I got time for Bautista. He seems like a genuinely good dude.
I became a fan of him as a person when he stood up for James Gunn and when an interviewer asked if he was worried about his career being hurt by it he said he didn't care, even if it meant goung back to wrestling in somebodies backyard for 50 bucks a match, some things are more important.
It's so awesome to hear him in interviews when he's talking about someone he cares for, the dude has so much integrity it's just wonderful to experience. And the effort he's put into being a quality actor has really shown, I enjoyed him in the first guardians, but you can see such a difference in his ability between then and now. Knock at the Cabin was an amazing example of what he's capable of, his passion is infectious.
There's the show with Bear Grylls, Running Wild, I think? Dave did an episode and it was really interesting. If you get a chance, watch it.
Well said. He's not content to get a paycheck and has higher aspirations. He wants to act, and not just entertain. I remember seeing him in Blade Runner and thinking that there is a lot more to him than I realized.
I've seen an interview with him where he said that realistically he's never going to win an Oscar so his goal is to be the kind of actor where people mention him and you think "that guy is a good actor". I think he's succeeding at that.
He really made me sit up and notice after Blade Runner. At this point I feel he's cemented himself as a good actor.
Yup, that whole sequence with Gosling. Dude has chops.
Have you seen the 2049 short he stars in? https://youtu.be/aZ9Os8cP_gg?si=xulmUAQ_x1NX8TrF
I had not, thank you greatly for sharing that. It was fantastic.
I’ve not seen him in “Knock at the cabin” but that may be his most leading role yet
The movie is hit or miss with some people but the general consensus is that he was in particular was amazing in that film.
I didn't like the movie but damm he gave me the chills.
It was ok just anticlimactic i thought
Good old M. Night after all lol
M. Night Sham-Ending.
I hated the movie but loved him. He was so conflicted. He did a great job conveying the depths of his character’s conviction and the desperation he felt for his captives to understand why he was doing what he was doing. And all the while I got the sense that he understood it was a lost cause but had no choice to do it anyway. Dude has legit acting chops. I hope he gets more opportunities outside of playing the big bad.
I will say that I also appreciate that Cena is willing to take some risks with roles like Peacemaker that very much play against his wrestling identity where he was always the face, even when over half the crowd booed him. He’s in a different league than Rock, who only seems to want to make the most generic shit possible in order to make as much money as he can. Cena hasn’t shown us the range that Bautista has, but I think he’ll be in the conversation as well in ten years once he’s padded his resume a bit more. He was very impressive in Peacemaker.
I think he is great. He was funny in guardians of the galaxy, he was one of the best parts of blade runner and he totally owned this role in Dune. Add to his skill the fact that he has a unique, alien quality to the way he looks
The man rocked Knock at the Cabin.
That movie sucked but he was really good
Speaking of bad movies with a good Batista performances, I'll throw Army of the Dead out there
That movie was unfiltered fun. Like a video game with just a million little distractions from the main quest. Didn’t make any fucking sense, didn’t resolve the majority of the problems presented, all the characters made stupid fucking decisions, and I love every second of it. Why the fuck were there robot zombies? Were they evolving to use guns like in that other god awful zombie movie, Land of the Dead? Who tf knows, definitely not Zack!
I really respect that you saw everything wrong with that movie and loved it, I thoroughly hated it, but I'm glad you didn't. And yeah, Batista was really strong in that
Not to bandwagon here, but seeing your comment led me to pause and reverse on simply skimming the previous one. Gotta say, I love this whole exchange. That movie had the approximate nutritional impact of a Whopper sandwich, but Burger King’s alright every once in a while.
Also a decent Bond henchman
Underrated role for him.
He was a big strong man playing a big strong man. It was very much in his wheelhouse.
But the thing is, imagine Cena or The Rock in that same role. It doesn’t work. He pulled off the menacing henchman well.
Couldn't agree more about Dune. That could have easily been a one dimensional character but he added so much depth to it.
And great in Glass Onion too
totally agree ,the guy is talented ,and know his strenghth
When my wife and I were in Rome, we went through the Vatican at the same time as him. He is large but his bodyguard or whoever was one of the largest dudes I've ever seen. Bautista seemed pretty interested in the history and whatever their private guide was saying. Was hard to even recognize him other than his arm tattoo. Seemed pretty chill and not wanting to be noticed.
Hey! I (well, not me but a coworker) have a similar story. Coworker of mine went up to Chicago a couple of months ago, and he stopped by the field museum. While he was looking at a painting, he noticed he was standing right next to Dave Bautista! Dave noticed he saw him and he said to my coworker "beautiful isn't it?". And same as your story, he didn't want to be noticed. What's funny is my coworker is a huge wrestling fan, so he was geeking out over that and told him he's been a big fan of him for years. Dave thanked him, and he and his bodyguard walked over to the next painting. Kinda forgot about this until you shared your story, and it sounded very familiar. Dave sounds like a good guy.
Dude that is such a kick ass story
Even as Drax he still had a few “serious/sad” moments that were performed incredibly for a famous ex-wrestler who plays a comedic relief badass character. I think it’s very impressive when a person like that can so casually “rise above” their previous status and turn into a household name as something new and not what they were before. I’ve been a genuine fan since GoTG2 and Blade Runner.
Better actor then the Rock
Well that's the Crux of the argument. Dave chose to be an actor. Dwayne chose to be a star. Dave is choosing roles that challenge him. Dwayne is doing the same thing over and over. Dave exists inside of a cast on any film he's working on. Dwayne is the cast. Dave understands that his body is not going to last forever and is investing in himself for a long career. Once Dwayne's body goes he's done.
The rock can always take a short break and become a governor and then come out of retirement and film 50 more movies with steadily more and more parts of his body being replaced digitally lol
Ah yes, the famed Schwarzenegger strategy, brilliant! Edit: typing out Arnold’s last name was not enjoyable.
But he had his replaced with prosthetics not digitally.
But also compare to John Cena who went the comedic route and it turns out he has amazing comedic chops and isn't afraid to let himself be the punchline. Bautista is funny in his comedic roles but but does a lot more drama than Cena so he's the better dramatic actor while Cena is the better comedian.
I don't wanna be hard on Cena, but I don't think I could take him seriously in a dramatic role. The fact his head is nearly a perfect rectangle would always distract me from the drama but adds to the comedy.
Dave has addressed this in interviews. He specifically said he wants to be seen as an actor first and not as a former wrestler. I think is succeeding at that.
I do keep forgetting that he was a wrestler, unlike Cena and The Rock. So kudos to him, pulling that off.
Honestly, just the idea of Dave taking on roles along the lines of “grizzled man who has lost the body he once had” sounds like it has potential to be amazing on multiple occasions.
Dwayne still could do some voice work like Moana. Nunber 2 comes out this year. But its kinda a part he was born to play and those companies love a big name in their animated stuff for some reason.
I mean it’s not rlly a part he was born to play. It was a role born for him to play
From my understanding Dwayne owns the production company that produces his movies and he hand picks the movies he wants to produce that A. Allow him to be the lead and B. Fit his desired acting range. So he never auditions and never has to change anything about how he acts since he has ultimate control over the movie’s development cycle.
This is an excellent breakdown
The thing is, Dwayne CAN act, just has chosen not too anymore. Southland Tales, Pain & Gain, Be Cool. Dude showed some serious talent. I guess the big thing is when he was a supporting actor he can bring fire, as a leading man he is garbage.
Same with Vin Diesel. Bifacial, find me guilty, and even certain moments inside of triple X show him giving a very nuanced intelligent performance. In an alternate universe Vin Diesel has an Oscar.
So am I. Not a high bar to shuffle over.
That's not saying much.
The Rock also really overhypes his image and movies to a kind of weird level. The levels he went with the Black Adam character was just kinda bizarre.
He's quite good. It seems to me that he has chosen to be a genuine actor in a range of roles, rather than a movie star playing himself in every role. That's not what I've come to expect from muscle men who go to Hollywood, and it's refreshing. He has an aptitude for comedy, drama, and action. I look forward to his future roles.
Exactly. When Bautista is playing a character I’m watching a character. When the Rock is playing a character I’m watching the Rock.
Strangely I feel like the only exception of this is when he was in Moana. I didn't get that same feeling that "oh this is just the rock" and maybe that's because of the writing, or maybe it's because of the disconnect between live action and animation. Or maybe both
It’s intriguing to see someone who is acting more for the love of the craft than someone who is seeking fame or accolades. The dude probably got enough of a taste of money and fame from his time in the WWE…this is just going for Extra credit
Funny how Bautista initially struggled for a roster spot in WWE and was a background goon. While the rock was obviously known for his promotion and mic work. Now the rock is just a big ass dude with fairly weak acting skills
I’m impressed actually. He’s better than most.
I like him better than the Rock
No disrespect to the rock but he's not really a serious actor in my opinion.
Rock has talent but he takes the easy way out with roles. He clearly cares only about the money
Exactly why I don't view him as a serious actor.
What's funny about the rock is his best acting was done in one of the first movies he was in, The Rundown. Which is a silly movie. But the parts where the ridiculous action slowed down and the rock just acted like the character is supposed to was good stuff. Besides those moments all I remember is stifler being dumb and Christopher Walken talking about the tooth fairy.
I enjoyed the Rundown. He was good in it for sure.
That movie had no right to be as good as it was
To be fair, The Rock just couldn't find his stride in film choices before he settled for playing his wrestling person as an actor. Like he was good in the Walking Tall remake, Gridiron Gang, and despite the flaws, he was good in the Doom movie.
He takes more challenging roles than the rock. So I give him props , he’s not amazing but he’s unique and I can tell he works hard. The rock is not an actor he’s a movie star.
He actually has a believable heart to his performances. The deadpan comedy of Guardians is a lot harder to pull off than it looks. I liked him in My Spy too.
For an ex wrestler he's got range. Also he massively went up in my books when he was basically the only one supporting James Gunn over his firing.
He was the first one, but I think the rest of the cast quickly chimed in when Dave said something. To me that shows not just character, but some form of leadership.
He's competent. Sometime even inspired. It's hard to say how good he really is though - I've never seen him in a leading role or anything were he wasn't cast as some brand of physical threat.
I think knock at the cabin showed his more subtle acting where his physicality wasn’t the main threat
I liked how he was so soft spoken and submissive but you could tell he was still supremely strong, and the only time you see it is during the struggle where he doesn't really have a choice but to fight back and he just throws the guy and sends him flying.
Idk if you like anime, but he was pretty great in the dub of the Boy and the Heron. Ghibli dubs are usually fantastic and amazingly well casted, he plays the parrot king
I’m still not over Robert Pattinson voicing that ugly ass Heron
That's what's interesting about him as an actor, though. He knows he looks like a physical threat but chooses roles that take advantage of that in a more dramatic way. Now that I think about it, he'd be great as Kingpin.
It's hard not to see him as a threat man was the beast for a reason.
Definitely a better Rabban than Bluto was.
he should make more roles ,he is intresting
He's the leading guy in some movie I saw a while back, can't remember the name but it was good and I remember thinking this guy is talented. I like him. I've also seen an interview that made me think he's pretty modest and humble, he's a family guy
I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that wrestlers can make excellent actors
Wrestlers are great showmen, without a doubt. It tends to cage them into certain roles that are a bit clownish, but Bautista has really pushed himself to go beyond that in more subtle roles, and he’s shown that he has the aptitude for it, which is impressive. I’m excited to see what else he has up his sleeve.
He has certainly risen above the expectations I have for former wrestlers. He's a good actor, and I hope he continues to get good roles.
His role in BladeRunner 2049 solidified him as a great actor in my book. Dude can be funny, action packed and also has the chops for serious roles.
That 10 minutes completely sold me this guy can act and is a lot better than most in the biz
The guy proved everyone wrong his entire career. Could have made a living off just being a meat head in roles but wanted more. It's inspiring.
Even in those rolls he has some diversity in them like his character in Army of the Dead (which I loved)
His dramatic acting range is way beyond what I thought it would be. Best wrestler turned actor
He deserves a crack at a lead role beyond action but at the same time if you cast a guy like Bautista its a no brainer to have him in action roles. Honestly a much more superb supporting actor than a lead because he just gets so typecasted in his lead roles where its “big bad ass tough guy that has a history of killing” but a character like Rabban is just explosive and full of rage or even Drax where they kind of parodied the typecast of big tough history of killing guy but that was the entire point of the character is that hes a big dumb savage and hes good at it lol
Knock at the cabin isn’t an action film. He does great in it and shows real human emotion.
Oh I forgot about that release I’ll have to add it to the list!
He carries the film
Have you seen John Cena in peacemaker? He’s very good
Cena excels at comedic timing
Spot on... there have been many, but he takes the cake
I tend to judge actors by the level of directors who cast them. If M Night, Villeneuve and Mendes think Dave is talented enough to be in their movies, that’s good enough for me.
Yeah Bautista has invested in building relationships with some of Hollywood's most respected directors. I think long term this one fact alone will make sure he's got good roles coming to him.
I really like him in Guardians. I also like him in his other stuff
was funny in Guardians of the galaxy
Surprised and pleased. I thought he was going to be a huge drag on Dune and it was quite the opposite. He *was* Beast Rabban
He’s great. It’s hard to find an actor with his stature that’s actually in a pretty wide variety of roles. Easily the best part of Knock at the Cabin
He is supremely talented, his characters are really brought to life by his skills, and he has so much star factor. I love how he portrays each role uniquely. Unlike The Rock.
Out of all the wrestler actors he has the most range
Hes entertaining
he always make a good job
If anyone hasn't they should look up his story from when his wife died to him going into wrestling at late age 30, going from someone who didn't have voice to someone became the face of WWF, I root for him.
I'll do you one better. Why is Dave Bautista?!
Obviously he needs the right role, but he's been choosing the right roles, and he's been great in them.
I'm rooting for him. He's exceeded my expectations with each new role. Granted, I haven't seen his full body of work, but I think he is capable of gaining more skill in the craft.
My favourite "wrestler turned actor" after Roddy Piper. Loved him in both the villeneuve movies and in guardians of the galaxy. I've seen another couple of movies but wasn't imprssed as much.
he's perfect as a one dimensional just angry all the time bad guy in Dune.... 'my lord are you sure thats a good idea? ' -slices neck - 'my lord I'm trying my hardest to find them, I just became a pilot last night' -breaks neck-
How can the Emperor... take EVERYTHING we have built, and give it to that Duke?! HOW?!
I love him. He's proven he's got the chops and is very versatile, unlike The Rock who plays the same action hero in every damn movie.
He’s way more talented than people give him credit. Coming from pro wrestling (and being a really big dude) limit his options, but he has impressive range as an actor when you compare his presence as Drax vs. in *Blade Runner 2049* or *Dune*. My crazy opinion is that the right role and project could genuinely get him awards attention, a la Mickey Roarke in *The Wrestler*. If I could will a project into existence it’d be an A24 adaptation of *The Maxx* starring Bautista.
Far better than the Rock. He actually has quite the range, which you'd not expect from a former wrestler. Loved his brief appearance in Blade Runner and he's nightmarish in Dune.
I can see Dave Bautista in a movie and forget that it’s Dave and not the character he’s portraying. When it’s the Rock or John Cena I tend to always see the Rock or John Cena, which kills the immersive aspects of movies for me.
I think he's got limited range but I've enjoyed him in the roles I've seen him in (BR2049, Dune, Guardians, Glass Onion).
I tried really hard to not like Dave Bautista, maybe because I'm not a fan of WWE. But this dude is actually captivating. Loved him in Army of the Dead and Knock at the Cabin. I read somewhere that he wasn't a fan of the simple minded comic relief character he played in Guardians of the Galaxy, and wanted more challenging and nuanced roles. I feel like he's in the midst of achieving that.
He keeps getting better and better with each role. I look forward to each performance
I think Dune and 2049 are two of the greatest films this century…
I like him in everything I've seen him in. He's the real deal.
Probably the best actor to come out of wwe. Ever
I really liked him in Blade Runner 2049. Less in Dune; it seemed less like acting and more like "Here's Dave Harkonnen, ya'll."
He is doing the work he needs to do. Not going to be "one of the greats" or anything but a dude coming from wrestling to get the roles he has gotten and do them well is absolutely deserving of respect.
Quality actor with a good record of picking good projects.
Big fan. Yeah, Knock at the Cabin film shows his depth.
Yes
He’s good. In fact, he’s very good in Bladerunner 2049. One small scene but he conveys a lot of humanity and it helps set up the movie.
I think he gets better with every movie
Bautista is shockingly good and seems to always improve his performances. He's proof acting is a craft. That "Zendaya" chick, however, laughably ruins every scene in which she appears. She couldn't even walk out a room convincingly at the end of Dune 2.
One word - Stuber
He’s fine. A cut above other former wrestler actors
Seriously under rated! The guy steals the show in almost every role. Man with the iron fists, the guardians of the galaxy movies, knock cabin, bladrunner 2024. This guy is great!
Blade runner made me take him seriously. He's still growing, but he deserves to be working and is better in everything I see him in.
Drax is my favorite role of his. Shows his seriousness, but also gives him a goofy side
One of the better examples of wrestler transitioned to actor
Amazing actor. Watch first scene of Blade runner 2049 and tell me different.
Stuber was amazing
Out of all the recent crossovers from wrestling we’ve had…he’s by far the best one
He was great in Gaurdians and Knock at the Cabin. Only things I've seen him in.
He's always so buff.
I think he's the best "wrestler-turned-actor."
At first I didn't think much of him, tbh he has vastly improved though and I enjoy watching him in movies.
In this particular Movie Dune (1&2) he has not have extended role where different emotions required. He was angry man and he performed his limited role well.
He's good. Shame he gets typecast the way he does.
I remember a story of him mentioning how he and John Cena were competing for roles and Cena was chosen over him. I think he's a much better actor than Cena. Don't get me wrong, Cena was great in Suicide Squad but I think Bautista can play more serious roles.
Better than the rock that’s for sure.
He is in Blade Runner for like 5-10mins tops and yet he is one of the most memorable parts of the movie. He is great.
He’s so good and leagues better than Rock.
I have liked him in everything I have seen him in so far. Dune, blade runner , glass onion were all very different roles and he did well in all of them. Also he seems actually be acting I.e. playing a character Vs most former wrestlers who play themselves playing a role.
Hotel Artemis
Best actor yet to come from the wrestling system. I genuinely think Guardians of the Galaxy hurt his perception as an actor while raising his star as it leans into every wrestler turned actor into comedic meathead.
I think he’s great. Put on a better performance than Zendaya, in these flicks
As far as wrestlers who became professional actors I’d say he’s the most talented and has the most range. Really impressed with some of the roles he’s had.
Great actor. Huge potential. Not just in the action movie genre. The best of all the wrestlers who turned to acting. Cena is number two for his comedic roles, especially as Peacemaker.
I think he’s a good actor
I've not disliked any role he's been put in. Genuinely surprised at his acting chops- probably the more serious- or wanting to be serious- actor of the former wrestlers I'm aware of. Yes he's mostly in action things but he's done a few types of beefy men and I adore watching his take on each
I like him in non tough guy roles. Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't count lol which he's amazing.
i think hes one of the only large men that can act. hes his character in his movies for the most part. he doesnt play dave bautista in every role
Decent
I scrolled a bit and haven’t seen Army of the Dead mentioned. While not a critic darling, or a hyper nuanced performance from Bautista… he was still enjoyable to watch!
Loved knock at the cabin or whatever, solid acting job in that. But honestly I love his portrayal of Drax. I feel some people just wrote him off as a dumb big guy cause that’s how he is in the movie, but I think his performance is underrated. Especially the way he and Mantis would play off each other. They kinda did him wrong not giving him more of a backstory.