After dominating the pro wrestling business for nearly a decade, Dave Bautista moved on to greener pastures in Hollywood. The Animal made his foray into the acting business in 2006 with an uncredited cameo in Relative Strangers.
He’s since become one of the leading men in the film industry with multiple critically acclaimed roles under his belt. Many are of the opinion that Dave Bautista is WWE’s best export to Hollywood due to his incredible versatility as well as his immaculate selection of roles.
With that being said, let’s take a look at Dave Bautista’s five best acting roles:
Dave Bautista as Duke Cody (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery opened to critical and commercial acclaim in 2022. The film boasted an all-star cast of Daniel Craig, Edward Norton Janelle Monáe, and Kathryn Hahn, among others.
Dave Bautista played the role of Duke Cody, a burgeoning influencer who has built his brand off of hypermasculinity and men’s rights activism. Bautista’s acting chops got him a nod of approval from fans and critics alike, with director Rian Johnson heaping lavish praise on the wrestler-turned-actor.
Sapper Morton (Blade Runner 2049)
Blade Runner 2049 saw Dave Bautista play Sapper Morton, an aging replicant on the run from blade runners. Morton’s actions were seen to drive the film’s plot as he was the one who performed the emergency C-section on Rachael, which led to the birth of the first human-replicant child.
Not only was Dave Bautista’s massive frame perfect for the role, his collected and calm demeanor made Morton one of the most likeable characters in the Blade Runner franchise. Unfortunately, his iteration that K was killing his own kind would fall on deaf ears as he’d be executed several minutes into the film’s opening scene.
Glossu Rabban (Dune)
After Blade Runner 2049, Dave Bautista reunited with director Denis Villeneuve for Dune. The film become one of the most successful movies of 2021 upon its release. Dune would go on to bag six Academy Awards among a plethora of other accolades.
Dave Bautista’s role in Dune was unlike anything he’d every done before. The character, Glossu Rabban, is the Machiavellian nephew the Baron Harkonnen. He is extremely violent and ruthless in his ambitions and tasked with ruling the planet Arrakis with an iron fist.
Dave Bautista was extremely convincing in his portrayal of the malevolent Rabban though the Academy failed to acknowledge his acting chops.
Drax the Destroyer (Guardians of the Galaxy)
Bautista’s portrayal of Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy turned him into one of the most sought-after names in Hollywood. The former World Heavyweight Champion played the character to perfection, showcasing his comedic timing to the best of his abilities.
The success of the film, as well as Dave Bautista’s performance, convinced Disney to churn out two sequels of Guardians of the Galaxy – with the entire main cast reprising their roles in the hit Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Read More: Dave Bautista Doesn’t Know If He Wants Drax To Be His Legacy
Dave Bautista as Leonard Brocht (Knock at the Cabin)
Leonard Brocht might be Dave Bautista’s most challenging role to date, but the superstar managed to deliver an all-time performance in M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin. The Animal delivers a powerful performance as the fearful yet somber Leonard Brocht in this chilling 2023 flick.
Fans and critics loved Bautista’s performance in Knock at the Cabin. The film was nominated for Best Horror at the 6th Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards, but didn’t win.
Read More: M. Night Shyamalan Sees Parallels In Working With Dave Bautista And Haley Joel Osment
