Dave Bautista has made a successful name for himself in Hollywood after leaving the world of professional wrestling, but he has expressed hesitancy about working with any other wrestlers-turned-actors. John Cena recently responded to the comments, saying it makes him sad, but he understands the sentiments.
Speaking to Esquire, Cena was asked about Bautista, who said he didn’t want to work with Cena or The Rock in movies. Cena told Esquire that he understood why Bautista might not want to be lumped into a group, even if it was a bit sad to hear. Cena said despite the comments, he had no ill will towards Bautista, and praised him as one of the nicest and “most generous guys you’ll ever meet.” Cena ended his statement on Bautista by saying that he applauds him for his conviction, and that it takes a lot of bravery.
“I’m super sad about that, because Dave Bautista is an unbelievably gifted actor. He’s done some amazing work. But I think when someone makes a statement like that, I think the important thing is to try and look at things from their perspective. Dave has worked so hard on his craft. And he is so dedicated to his characters,” Cena said, “and really wants to put forth a body of work that gives him his own identity. I 100 percent understand that.
“Dave is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and one of the most generous guys you’ll ever meet. I don’t have any beef with Dave and I really genuinely think Dave doesn’t have any beef with me. He really just wants to be identified and recognized for his work,” Cena explained, “and I cannot fault him for that. I applaud him for it. To be brave enough to say something like that kind of allows him to go forth on his own and I appreciate that.”
In June, Dave Bautista responded to a fan on Twitter that suggested he, Cena, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson should all do a movie together. Bautista later clarified his initial answer of “Nah I’m good!!” by sharing an image of the many roles he’s portrayed in his career as an actor, and simply said that he didn’t want to be lumped in.
RELATED: John Cena On His WWE Future: I Still Feel I Have Something To Contribute
I figured a visual reference might help. I’d just prefer not to be lumped in. Nothing personal. ??♂️ #DreamChaser https://t.co/JFHAaw053F pic.twitter.com/djKZBylIuT
— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) June 26, 2021
While Bautista isn’t looking to work with any wrestling alumni like John Cena, it looks like he has a buddy cop film with “Aquaman” in the works. Jason Momoa recently appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden and said that he’s on board with Bautista’s idea for a “Lethal Weapon” style team-up, and they’ve already started pitching ideas for it.
Read More: Jason Momoa On Buddy Cop Movie with Dave Bautista: It’s Off To The Races
