Unlike many WWE biggies, who make a name for themselves in the business at a pretty young age, by the time Dave Bautista debuted in WWE, he was already in his 30s. But despite starting out late, it didn’t take him long to make a name for himself in the realm of pro wrestling, eventually shifting to Hollywood and becoming one of the most successful wrestlers-turned-actors.
And while it was the 2010s, which witnessed Bautista becoming a major name in Hollywood, thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy, this wasn’t the first time he was appearing in a comic-book project.
Dave Bautista Was Initially Done With Acting After Smallville
Over the last decade, Dave Bautista has succeeded in building an impeccable acting resume after taking Stone Cold Steve Austin’s advice of carefully choosing projects to heart. And while Bautista’s acting career has been on an ascend, as he keeps challenging himself as an actor, the My Spy Star’s aspirations about acting weren’t always high, especially after his first TV role.
In 2006, Bautista initially stepped into the world of acting, making an appearance in season 6 of Smallville, playing the role of Aldar, an alien who escapes the Phantom Zone. Unfortunately, this role didn’t take the WWE Superstar anywhere, and considering the Riddick Star was one of the biggest WWE Superstars at the time, his aspirations about acting worn out. He told Wired:
“Smallville’ gig was another one of those things I got through WWE. At that point, I had absolutely no aspirations to pursue acting.”
But things went south for Bautista in the realm of WWE and with his back against the wall, the Marvel Star stepped out to build a name for himself in Hollywood, and the rest is history.
Dave Bautista Was Adamant About Playing Bane
While Dave Bautista has moved away from the realm of superheroes for now, the Guardians Star did once showcase immense interest in stepping into the world of DC to tackle Bane. Before the DCEU was shut down by the new management, Bautista did talk with WB about his desire to tackle the iconic villain from Batman’s rogues gallery. Per IndieWire, he said,
“I want to play Bane so bad I went to Warner Bros., had an appointment with them, had an appointment with DC, walked in the door and said, ‘I want to play Bane.’ I’m not kidding. They were a little like. ‘Woah, we’re not even casting Bane.’ I was like ‘I don’t care, I’m playing him.’”
From not having any desire to make it big in the realm of acting to becoming one of the most acclaimed wrestlers-turned-actors in the business, Bautista has come a long way. And although Bautista clarified that he’ll not be playing Bane in the new DCU as James Gunn is looking for younger talents for the new universe, fans will hope he gets to play a memorable part in the DCU.
Smallville is available to rent on Apple TV.
