Phil Brooks, also known as CM Punk, continues to venture into the acting world. His role as Ricky Rabies on Heels is already generating a lot of buzz, leading many fans to wonder what’s next for the former WWE Champion. He continues to grow as an actor, and in an interview with Scott Fishman of TV Insider, Punk shared his thoughts on this journey. He noted how people are frequently surprised with his performances because they underestimate wrestlers’ acting abilites. Punk also noted how Dave Bautista, a fellow former WWE Champion, has enjoyed plenty of success as an movie star, and Punk explained how he’s inspired by Bautista’s love for acting and the careful way he picks his roles.
“I just know that every time I do something people will tell me how pleasantly surprised they are,” said Punk. “Following in the footsteps of some pretty heavy hitters: The Rock, John Cena, Dave Bautista. Bautista to me is number one with a bullet just because of the challenging roles he seeks. He truly loves acting. He wants to get better. It’s truly inspirational. I draw on a lot of what he has done when I choose my roles.
“You can say yes to everything then you are Jesse Ventura doing Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe. You don’t necessarily want that. I want to be somebody who takes even the smallest role and takes it very seriously and can learn from it. I think pro wrestlers are always better than what people give them credit for because what is pro wrestling if not doing live theater.”
Other than Bautista, as Punk named, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) and John Cena are two of the most prominent examples of wrestlers who have thrived in Hollywood, and current WWE stars Roman Reigns and Sasha Banks have also crossed over successfully.
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