When compared to other wrestlers who have crossed over into acting in mainstream films, Dave Bautista has an impressive career path. Whereas The Rock has become the powerhouse producer/megastar, Dwayne Johnson, and John Cena has mostly geared his resume toward comedic projects, Bautista has worked on varying movies with filmmakers like Sam Mendes, Rian Johnson, Denis Villeneuve, Zack Snyder, James Gunn, and now M. Night Shyamalan. Variety is reporting that the muscular actor would love to star in a romantic comedy, but never seems to get any offers for them.
In an interview with Page Six, Bautista had this to say, “I know I’m not your typical rom-com lead. I’m a little rough around the edges. But I always, you know, I look in the mirror and I say, I ask myself, ‘Am I that unattractive? Is there something that unappealing about me that excludes me from these parts?’” He continues, “I don’t know. It’s just never come my way. I’ve never had an offer to do a rom-com. I still have high hopes. I’ll just keep searching.”
Bautista has had ample experience with comedy, starting with his deadpan performance as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. He has gone on to star in genre hybrid films like My Spy and Stuber, which had mixed the comedy with action. And most recently, he plays a flamboyantly outrageous character in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Recently, the wrestler-turned-actor would follow up his friend, James Gunn’s announcements of the new slate of DC films, with comments that he would not likely play his dream role of Bane for a new Batman continuity. “I have had conversations with James Gunn about that. but I think the direction he’s leaning in, completely rebooting that whole universe, he’s starting from scratch and starting younger and fresher and I think you need to do that. I think for the DC Universe to be revived, you need to start from scratch, and I think you need to start with younger actors. You need to start to plan for the next 15 years, and I just don’t think you can do that with me. And I understand that.”
Bautista can be seen in Knock at the Cabin opening this week.