It’s no mystery why Dave Bautista is ready to move on from the MCU.
The “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” actor addressed his upcoming final appearance as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel franchise after close to a decade in the role.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him,” Bautista said in a GQ cover story. “But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy — it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”
“Guardians of the Galaxy” marked Bautista’s first major role since exiting the WWE in 2010.
“I had to pull over because I was crying so hard,” Bautista recalled of learning he landed the part while driving to the gym. “I turned right back around and walked into my house shaking to tell my wife I had gotten the role, and we were both standing there freaking out.”
Bautista revealed that he did not feel like he was “getting equal opportunities” with fellow pro wrestling headliner John Cena, who had already appeared in WWE-produced films and commercials.
“Before I left WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re going to get offers for horrible scripts. The money will be tempting. Don’t get caught in that trap,'” the “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” star said. “I never wanted to be the next Rock. I just want to be a good fucking actor. A respected actor.”
Bautista continued, “Honestly, I could give a fuck [about being a movie star]. 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.”
The “Dune: Part Two” and “A Knock at the Cabin” actor previously took to Instagram in May 2022 after “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” production wrapped, calling it a “journey that changed my life.”
Bautista also said during the “Ellen” show that the films have “come full circle” and he is ready to “step aside” from Marvel. “James Gunn has already announced that it’s his last film and when James is done, I’m done,” Bautista confirmed. To note, Gunn works with fellow WWE alum Cena on the “Peacemaker” DC series.
The “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” actor addressed his upcoming final appearance as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel franchise after close to a decade in the role.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him,” Bautista said in a GQ cover story. “But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy — it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”
“Guardians of the Galaxy” marked Bautista’s first major role since exiting the WWE in 2010.
“I had to pull over because I was crying so hard,” Bautista recalled of learning he landed the part while driving to the gym. “I turned right back around and walked into my house shaking to tell my wife I had gotten the role, and we were both standing there freaking out.”
Bautista revealed that he did not feel like he was “getting equal opportunities” with fellow pro wrestling headliner John Cena, who had already appeared in WWE-produced films and commercials.
“Before I left WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re going to get offers for horrible scripts. The money will be tempting. Don’t get caught in that trap,'” the “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” star said. “I never wanted to be the next Rock. I just want to be a good fucking actor. A respected actor.”
Bautista continued, “Honestly, I could give a fuck [about being a movie star]. 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.”
The “Dune: Part Two” and “A Knock at the Cabin” actor previously took to Instagram in May 2022 after “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” production wrapped, calling it a “journey that changed my life.”
Bautista also said during the “Ellen” show that the films have “come full circle” and he is ready to “step aside” from Marvel. “James Gunn has already announced that it’s his last film and when James is done, I’m done,” Bautista confirmed. To note, Gunn works with fellow WWE alum Cena on the “Peacemaker” DC series.
