Dave Bautista’s shift from being one of the most celebrated WWE stars to an accomplished actor wasn’t easy in the beginning, as the actor had to initially struggle to land substantial acting gigs. But this wasn’t something new for the Guardians of the Galaxy star, as the former WWE World heavyweight champion had to go through a similar experience before his WWE days.
Before the actor cemented himself as one of the biggest names of the Ruthless Aggression era, the actor had to overcome several challenges on his way and even had to work as a bouncer in a bar.
Dave Bautista spent 10-plus-years working as a bouncer before his WWE days
After dropping out of High School at the age of 17, Dave Bautista took the job of a bouncer and worked at several clubs in his home town D.C. for many years. The actor also opened up about getting involved in several fistfights during his time as a bouncer with some of the patrons, but he did end up doing the job for 10-plus years. But things took a turn after the actor wasn’t able to afford Christmas gifts for his two daughters, which eventually ignited his spirit to succeed in life. He said,
“I bounced all night, I worked out, I went to sleep. That’s what I did for ten-plus years… I had to go to a guy I worked for at a club and ask him if I could borrow money. I was so ashamed of myself that I said, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I gotta find something.’ I didn’t know what the f*ck to do. I had no education. I had nothing to fall back on. And I was f*cking desperate.”
This eventually led to him stepping into the world of pro wrestling and after years of struggle, he became one of the most renowned names in the WWE universe. But the Knock at the Cabin star once again endured another pushback, when he eventually decided to leave his WWE fame for the world of Hollywood and received golden advice from Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Dave Bautista took Steve Austin’s advice to heart for his acting career
Following his journey of finding his footing in the realm of acting, Dave Bautista opened up about being advised by Stone Cold Steve Austin to not settle for horrible scripts for a big paycheck. The actor then proceeded to take the advice to his heart and despite facing financial issues, Bautista wasn’t ready to settle for bad scripts and became “picky and choosy” about his projects. He said,
“Before I left WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re going to get offers for horrible scripts. The money will be tempting. Don’t get caught in that trap.’”
As a result, Bautista has managed to establish himself as an incredible actor, who has been involved in several critically acclaimed projects over the years. With the My Spy star moving forward from the MCU, the actor is adamant about building a more diverse category unlike The Rock, and he has been pretty successful in doing that so far.
Source: GQ
