Dave Bautista’s transformation from a high-profile star in the wrestling world to a proficient actor in Hollywood has been pretty smooth, as fans now admire him for his acting capabilities and not for his tenure as a superstar in WWE.
Even though Bautista comes from the same boat as the Rock, the Drax actor doesn’t have any plans to continue in the Black Adam actor’s footsteps, as Dave Bautista wants to play a variety of roles instead of playing the same character in every movie.
Dave Bautista doesn’t want to be a huge movie star like The Rock
Bautista has emphasized the fact that he doesn’t aspire to be a huge movie star but to be an actor, who is recognized for his skills. The actor has been inclined toward more challenging and diverse roles throughout his career and earning a variety of roles under his belt. He has also expressed his desire to star in smaller roles to flesh out his acting abilities, while also learning a lot about the craft from working with modern-day greats such as Denis Villeneuve and Sam Mendes.
Dave Bautista also shares his working experience with big franchises like MCU, where he starred as Drax. He later expressed his love for Drax but is happy to move on from the character, as he doesn’t want to stick with one role. Also, the advice from his friend Steve Austin has played an important part in his career. Austin advised the actor to not be tempted by money but toward a good script, which can be seen through Bautista’s bucket list of movies.
Dave Bautista doesn’t consider The Rock a good actor
Even though Bautista and the Rock come from the same background, their motives aren’t similar. Dave Bautista has been pretty vocal about not following in the WWE champion’s direction, as he doesn’t consider the Rock a good actor. He does praise him by calling the Black Adam actor a huge movie star for his aura and personality.
This is reasonable considering The rock is known for starring as the same character in dumb action flicks whereas Bautista is looking to shape his legacy as a more accomplished actor by challenging himself with diverse and difficult roles. In an interview with Tampa Bay Times, Bautista stated,
Rock was, in a way, a movie star before he was even a movie star. There is something about him that’s special. I’d never take that away from him. Would I consider him a great actor? Fuck no.
Dave Bautista wants to be remembered for his acting abilities rather than star power, which can be seen most notably in movies such as Blade Runner 2049 and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. His decision to be a more diverse actor is more foreseeable in his 2023 slate, which includes a superhero movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, a psychological horror Knock at the Cabin, and a hard Sci-fi Dune 2, whereas the Rock doesn’t seem to be playing any character outside his comfort zone.
Source: Tampa Bay Times
