Dave Bautista is making it clear what type of actor he wants to be.
While speaking to GQ recently, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor opened up about the career he wants to carve for himself and the type of roles he wants to continue to take on.
Though the 53-year-old actor has a past as a WWE wrestler, he doesn’t want to follow in the filmography footsteps of his other wrestler-turned-actor counterparts, like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
“I never wanted to be the next Rock,” he bluntly states. “I just want to be a good f**ing actor. A respected actor.”
Bautista is certainly building quite the thespian’s resume for himself, starring in films directed by critically acclaimed directors like Rian Johnson’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” and Denis Villeneuve’s “Bladerunner 2049” and “Dune.”
Working with Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has been a special moment for Bautista’s transition from wrestler to an actor; he cites him as one of the best and favourite directors he’s had the opportunity of working under.
“If I could be a number one [on the callsheet] with Denis, I would do it for f**ing free,” he says. “I think that’s how I could find out how good I could be. He brings out the best in me. He sees me in a different light, sees the performer that I want to be. That might be how I solve the puzzle.”
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Bautista concluded the interview with a clear focus on wanting to continue to improve his acting abilities.
“I don’t live a great big glamorous life. I live here in Tampa. I don’t care about the spotlight, I don’t care about fame. I just want to be a better actor. I want respect from my peers. I don’t need accolades—I really don’t, man. It’s about the experience, about knowing that I accomplished something.”
Next year is busy for Bautista, who will be starring next month in the M. Night Shyalaman thriller “A Knock at the Cabin,” wrapping up the last installment of MCU’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” in May and tying the year up in December with “Dune: Part Two.”
