Heading into the Guardians of the Galaxy, Dave Bautista feared that history might repeat itself, as his last experience in showbiz was less than stellar. Before the Guardians of the Galaxy movies skyrocketed Bautista’s acting career, cementing him as one of the best wrestlers-turned-actors, the years leading up to it weren’t pleasant for the WWE Superstar.
This resulted in him being concerned about joining forces with Saldana, as he initially feared things might turn out like his last time, as he had an unpleasant experience with the film’s female lead.
Dave Bautista’s Concerns Immediately Dissolved After Meeting Zoe Saldana
Considering Zoe Saldana was the last GOTG Star Dave Bautista met, he was praying that the actor didn’t bear a huge ego, as the last female lead he worked with gave him a hard time. This resulted in the WWE superstar being intimidated by the franchise queen, who fortunately turned out to be the complete opposite of what Bautista imagined. He told Movies.ie:
“Of course, at first I was intimidated, sure, but it was like… Zoe was the last cast member I met and she was the only one that I was kind of nervous about, because the movie I had just worked in had been a bad experience with the lead actress. She was just… complained about everything, b****ed about everything… and I hadn’t met Zoe, and I didn’t know Zoe, and I thought, ‘God, I hope she doesn’t have an ego,’”
Further extending on the matter, the Dune Star expressed he felt at ease after Saldana gave him a big hug, and the atmosphere on set kept on ameliorating as the production continued.
Zoe Saldana Was Taken Back by Dave Bautista’s Acting
Like Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana too was skeptical about The Animal when it came to his acting chops, considering pro-wrestlers weren’t exactly known for being subtle with their performances. However, Bautista’s commitment to the process left the Avatar Star amazed, who expressed that the former WWE Champion was a natural. In the same interview, Saldana added,
“You’d think because he’s so big and comes from the wrestling world that his acting is going to like a big, stomping giant but he’s actually so subtle and natural… I just thought ‘Oh my God, he’s such a natural at this, and he has such a love and passion for it.’”\
Although Saldana, Bautista, and the rest of the Guardians crew built a deep attachment throughout their time together in the MCU, the duo is ready to move past their beloved roles.
Guardians of the Galaxy is available to stream on Disney Plus.
