Dave Bautistahas made a name for himself as an actor, appearing in some of the past decade’s biggest and most acclaimed movies, includingAvengers: Infinity War,Blade Runner 2049, andDune. But Bautista has even higher aspirations as a performer, and his recent dramatic weight loss is all part of his career plan. Before being a mainstay of the big screen, Bautista wasan all-star WWE wrestler.During his wrestling career, the performer said he weighed around 300 lbs of pure muscle. In most of his movies, the actor sports a similar physique (jumping up to a heavy 315lbs forKnock at the Cabin). However,Bautista has undergone a dramatic weight cut to be taken more seriously as an actor.
Speaking toChris Van Vilet, Dave Bautista addressed his weight loss, his reasons for it, and the rumors speculating online that he’s having health problems. Firstly,the actor denied any ongoing health issues,stating that his weight loss is purely for his acting career.“The more I trimmed down, the better I looked on camera. The better I looked next to other actors,“Dave Bautista said. Hilariously, Dave Bautista only looks “skinny” in comparison to his past physique. During the interview, the actor joked that he’s still big compared to most of his co-stars.“I’m 6'4”, 240lbs… when you say that out loud, it sounds like I’m a big person,“he joked.
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The most important reason for his weight loss was forBautista’s performance not to be overshadowed by his physique.Larger, more muscular actors tend to be typecast in certain roles, and their actual acting abilities are often sidelined by discussions about their training and diet. Bautista is looking to leave that behind. He said:
“So, being 6'4”, 240lbs next to your typical actor, I look like a gorilla. And it’s distracting.”
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Professional wrestlers moving into Hollywood moviesoccasionally get a bad rap from audiences. Some viewers often ignore their genuine acting abilities, believing that the only reason they got a part is because of their name. Examining Dave Bautista’s career, not only does he have genuine acting talent, but he’s also seeking to constantly improve as an actor. Bautista has sought out some of the biggest directors in Hollywood. So far,he’s worked with Denis Villeneuve (twice), James Gunn, Hayao Miyazaki, Rian Johnson, Taika Waititi, Zack Snyder, the Russo Brothers and more.
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For Bautista,his philosophy of constant growth is fueled by his aspirations of being a lauded actor.Likely ignited by his natural competitiveness as a pro-wrestler, Bautista wants to be in conversation for awards, and put on the same pedestal as some of the acting greats. He explained:
“I wanted to be the best actor I could. I still have a chip on my shoulder to prove that. I’m not in award-winning conversations. I want to be. I don’t care about the awards. Accolades don’t matter to me. But I want to hear people talk about me in that light.”
