With Zack Snyder’s premiering on Netflix in less than a month, a new interview with star Dave Bautista has arrived. In it, he discusses his acting career and compares it to the world of another former WWE wrestler-turned-movie star, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
When asked by if his history in the ring and his massive, muscular frame have been an asset as he forged ahead in his acting career, the Guardians of the Galaxy star said no. “I wanted to go against that grain and make everything much smaller, very subtle,” he explained. “I make a living off of subtlety. I want that to be my strength. I want that to be what separates [Johnson and I]. I don’t want to be that guy who walks in that room, I never wanted to be that guy.”
Of course, that’s not to take anything away from The Rock, who is one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Instead, Bautista looks at how Johnson has excelled in his career and decided to try a different way.
“I don’t mean that as a dig on him, but you know how he is as a character,” the actor said. “He feels very professional wrestling to me. I don’t want to be that guy. I want to be an actor. I want to act, I want people to judge me for my acting, my subtlety. I want to take roles that require that. I don’t want to be a big action guy who just says cool s*** and kills a lot of people and gets the girl. I don’t want to be that guy. I want to [be the] guy that makes people cry, who makes people think, who inspires people. I want to be a dramatic actor. I just love it. I love acting.”
Clearly, both men have found a way to be incredibly successful, while having very different careers. While Bautista, of course, is best known for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he’s also amassed an impressive list of credits that include Blade Runner 2049, the James Bond film Spectre, and the upcoming Dune. Johnson, on the other hand, has roles in the and Jumanji franchises and is currently working on Black Adam, which will see him enter the DCEU.
As for where you can see each man next, Bautista’s Army of the Dead arrives on Netflix on May 14. Disney’s Jungle Cruise, which stars Johnson, will be in theaters on July 30.
