Dave Bautista has had an incredible year, and it’s barely June. So far, the wrestler-turned-actor fought in his final bout in WrestleMania, retired from the WWE, and appeared in Avengers: Endgame, which has shattered the box office while simultaneously setting up the next umpteenth years worth of future films in the MCU; a future in which Bautista is expected to play a significant role. Yet, before he broke onto the scene in Guardians of the Galaxy, the Drax actor had some serious financial woes.
At an appearance at the Denver Pop Culture Con over the weekend, Dave Bautista got candid about the mistakes he made after leaving the WWE the first time, all because he was determined to keep a promise to himself.
“I was with WWE at the time and I went and did a film. I had zero interest in acting, all I wanted to do was wrestle. I loved wrestling, I was obsessed with wrestling, and I went and did a film as a favor for a friend and I realized I was horrible. I was a horrendous actor, I was so mortified that I wanted to prove I could be better. And the company, they wouldn’t let me do anything outside of the company.
Then I starved for three years. I went broke, I lost everything, I couldn’t get a job. And I said that I will never go back to wrestling until I prove what I set out to prove, and that was that I can make it as an actor. And then I got the role on Guardians… I finished the film and the first call I made after I wrapped was to Vince McMahon. I said, ‘Hey man, I’d really like to come back and wrestle for a little bit.'”
It’s a bit harrowing to realize that a personality who spent years on television had to “starve for three years” just to pursue their dream, but those who follow Bautista on social media know the man is anything but irresolute. If he sets his mind to something, he’s going to achieve it, and usually with pomp.
Though Bautista returned to the WWE for a short bit, his breakout performance in Guardians led to other roles in other big franchise films like Blade Runner 2049 and the 2015 James Bond sequel Spectre. Of course, we know that he also showed up for the Guardians sequel and the following two Avengers films.
The actor’s expected to return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as well, slated to start production sometime in the near future. Though Bautista was vocally adamant he’d leave the production after James Gunn’s unceremonious firing last year, Disney corrected their mistake and brought the director back, ensuring Drax’s return as well. As we said, when Bautista sets his mind on something, he’s going to achieve it.
