How Guardians Of The Galaxy Changed Dave Bautista Forever
Smashing his way across the box office, Dave Bautista has become a reputable actor with some impressive credits. In recent years, he has appeared in several blockbusters, including "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," "Dune," and the M. Night Shyamalan thriller "Knock at the Cabin." Beginning as a professional wrestler in the WWE, "The Animal" Bautista openly admits one role changed the trajectory of his entire life: Drax the Destroyer from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Surprisingly, the superstar didn't start acting until he was in his late 30s; Bautista had a role in "Smallville" in 2006. Even more shocking are Bautista's humble origins. Living in poverty for most of his childhood, the future star struggled to get his life together as a young adult. Working as a bouncer in 2000, he faced a yearlong probation following an altercation with some rambunctious patrons. Instead of following the troublesome path, Bautista found passion in bodybuilding before quickly earning his place in the WWE wrestling ring. He landed his first Heavyweight Championship in 2005.
Regardless of his success in the WWE, the ambitious Bautista still sought more. Despite already building a name for himself, the actor credits portraying the vengeful warrior Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for completely changing his life. Continue reading to discover how one role in the James Gunn-directed "Guardians of the Galaxy" feature sent this formerly struggling bodybuilder on a new trajectory.
He gambled his wrestling career before Marvel called
Dave "The Animal" Bautista has an impressive wrestling resume. Earning his first televised match in 2002, he scooped up his first belt a year later as a Tag Team Champion alongside legendary performer Ric Flair. The Animal went on to win belt after belt, quickly establishing himself as a main event superstar. Sadly, by 2010, Bautista's relationship with the WWE was beginning to wane. Per Wrestling World News, he "didn't like the direction the company was going in."
Despite the controversy around retiring from the WWE, Bautista has since admitted he spent the time launching his acting career. "I think, really, I caught the acting bug," Bautista said in an interview with Marvel Entertainment. "I had done a small role in a film as a favor to a friend, and I realized two things. One is how much I loved it. And two ... the other thing is how bad I was at it." The opportunity to learn and perfect a new skill proved tempting for the determined star. "When something is challenging, it makes me want to pursue it and be better at it," he explained. "Even if it meant leaving behind a multi-million-dollar career in wrestling."
Dave Bautista was broke before Guardians of the Galaxy
One would expect that Dave Bautista would have been financially secure during the years between wrestling and getting his acting career off the ground. However, The Animal admits they were some of his toughest times, and he had to commit to his goals. "For people to really understand how much my life has changed, they would have to understand where I came from," he said in an interview with IGN. "When I got the role of Drax in 'Guardians,' I barely worked in three years. So, I'd really left wrestling behind, and I could have gone back with my tail between my legs, but I still [would] have been just stuck in a place that I never would have gone any further, but I just took a chance."
The actor was dealing with a lot while awaiting a casting call from the MCU. "My house was foreclosed, I had nothing, man. I sold all my stuff. I sold everything that I made from [when] I was wrestling. I had issues with the IRS. I was just lost in everything." "Guardians of the Galaxy" was Bautista's breakout role, leading to his filmography loading up with big-budget features. Shortly before landing his role in the MCU, he was borrowing money for essentials. He said, "It happened for me fast, which made it seem even that much more surreal. But it did, it changed my life. It gave me a life."
He was terrified while auditioning for Drax
Undoubtedly, "Guardians of the Galaxy" was the most significant project Dave Bautista had worked on by that point in his career. The actor previously snagged roles in interesting projects such as "The Man with the Iron Fists" and "Riddick." Still, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was already on another level of prestige when "Guardians of the Galaxy" premiered in 2014. Considering himself a rookie in the acting world, Bautista hilariously admits that he was "terrified" during the auditioning process.
"I took this huge leap onto 'Guardians'! It was such a higher level," he expressed in an interview with Wired. "I'm still learning and trying to become a better actor. I still feel insecurity." The former Heavyweight Champion admitted that the closer he came to receiving the coveted role, the more "nerve-wracking" the process became. Interestingly, Marvel has since released one of Bautista's early auditions, sharing a screen test with Chris Pratt's Star-Lord. Despite the wrestler having minimal dialogue, it showcases how much more relaxed he became with his character over the years.
He had a lot to learn about acting for Guardians of the Galaxy
Intriguingly, Dave Bautista was not the only one who wasn't sure if his acting skills were up to snuff for the MCU. Director James Gunn admitted that he had to fight the studio to hire Bautista for the gig. Fortunately, they were quick to change their position. "The first thing Kevin Feige told me after seeing the first cut is how right I was about him," Gunn said in a now-deleted social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter (per Looper).
Even though he proved himself to the higher-ups, Bautista is not shy about stating that he had much to learn on the Marvel set. "I can still watch the first 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and cringe because I can see some of the parts where I was just very nervous, very self-conscious," he said in an interview with IndieWire. He gives his co-star Chris Pratt substantial credit for his quick development of acting and improvisation skills. "I've never seen anybody who can just kind of a put himself so at ease and such a mindset where he's just completely unselfconscious," Bautista shared. "He just lets it fly, he just lets it all hang out, he just doesn't care."
His career blasted off after Guardians of the Galaxy
Under the tutelage of Marvel and director James Gunn, "Guardians of the Galaxy" was a breakout role for Dave Bautista. Showcasing his physical presence alongside his humor, he began receiving far more calls around Hollywood. "When 'Guardians' came out and people saw me as Drax, it just started opening doors," said Bautista in an interview with IGN. "Drax didn't just change my career. It literally changed the trajectory of my life."
On the heels of his Marvel debut, Bautista started work in multiple feature films per year. In 2015, he entered the James Bond franchise as the assassin Mr. Hinx in "Spectre." Doubling his filmography by the time "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" debuted, the actor went on to have many memorable roles in movies like "Hotel Artemis," "My Spy," and Zack Snyder's "Army of the Dead." Surprisingly, it was one emotional role in 2017's "Blade Runner 2049" that Bautista says expanded his range as an actor. "That was the opportunity that I was looking for because I don't get offered roles like that a lot," he explained to Uproxx. "It was kind of that small, little role in 'Blade Runner' that just opened up some eyes, and people started looking at me differently."
He threatened to leave Marvel in support of James Gunn
In 2018, the future of Guardians of the Galaxy was uncertain. Memorably, celebrated director and writer of the franchise's first two entries, James Gunn, was abruptly fired by Disney after some old distasteful social media posts written by a pre-Marvel Gunn resurfaced. The situation proved to be more complicated, as the quotes were not only a dated representation of Gunn but brought to light via some radical critics.
At the time, many celebrities shared their support for Gunn to be rehired and given a chance to finish his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. None were as outspoken or bold with their loyalty to Gunn as Dave Bautista. The actor who credits his career to the MCU was willing to resign as Drax should the director-slash-writer not be reinstated. "I will do what I'm legally obligated to do but ['Guardians'] without [Gunn] is not what I signed up for. 'GOTG' w/o [Gunn] just isn't 'GOTG,'" reads a post from Bautista on X, formerly known as Twitter. The actor later solidified his statement when appearing on "The Jonathan Ross Show," saying, "I'm not really happy with what they've done with James Gunn." He added, "I don't know if I want to work for Disney." Gratefully, Gunn returned for the final installment but has since jumped ship, overseeing the DC Universe reboot for Warner Bros.
He thinks Drax was mishandled by Marvel
One thing about Dave Bautista that is surprising to know is he is as big of a nerd as anyone else. A collector of pop culture memorabilia, Bautista has strong feelings about how Drax should have been represented in the MCU. "I really wished they would have invested more in Drax, personally," Bautista said in an interview with Collider. "I think Drax has more of a story to tell. I think Drax has a really interesting backstory which they dropped the ball on."
Sadly, the far-stretching literary history of Drax the Destroyer was only slightly touched on in the Marvel films. In both iterations, Drax lost his family during a conquest by supervillain Thanos. The character was created in the early '70s by legendary comic veteran Jim Starlin, who intended for Drax to be "Thanos' Kryptonite." However, while the Destroyer often throws fists at Thanos in the source material, the movie version hardly proved a worthy opponent to the Mad Titan. "The whole 'Destroyer' thing, they just threw that out the window," Bautista said. "People just fell so in love with the comedic side of Drax they tapped into that, then they tapped into it more, then they really dug a hole into it."
He had an impressive tenure at Marvel Studios
With the multitude of big-name actors gracing the MCU with unforgettable performances, it is easy to forget the value of the many supporting roles. Dave Bautista and his "Guardians of the Galaxy" co-stars entered the franchise as part of Phase 2. Their entrance expanded the property into the stars, and they became the first non-Avengers to have a full-length feature. Additionally, with "Guardians of the Galaxy" becoming an unexpected hit, the ragtag space crew paved the way for many other characters to be incorporated into the universe.
Drax, although not used to his full potential, became integral to The Infinity Saga. Aside from the former wrestler starring in all three Guardians of the Galaxy features, he also has a significant role in "Avengers: Infinity War" and appears in "Avengers: Endgame." For those keeping score at home, Bautista went from a rookie actor who narrowly landed the superhero gig to being involved in some of the most successful movies of the era. Subsequently, Bautista's Drax made another appearance in 2022's "Thor: Love and Thunder," but the actor retired from the franchise after "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
Retiring as Drax was bittersweet for the actor
Much to the disappointment of his fans, Dave Bautista was transparent early on about "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" being his last outing with Marvel Studios. The actor announced his retirement as Drax during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2021, saying, "The journey has come full circle, and I'm ready to wrap it up." Interestingly, he was surprised audiences did not expect his retirement, especially after James Gunn had already confirmed his own departure from the Marvel franchise.
Despite being prepared, Bautista admitted, "It's very bittersweet to say goodbye," during an interview with Digital Spy. "I'm leaving behind people that I've been on this journey with for 10 years, and they're family to me now. And I love them dearly." Additionally, the actor recalled his last day on set being extremely emotional. Scheduled to start filming "Knock at the Cabin," Bautista was forced to wrap up his time on "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" earlier than his co-stars. "I never really got the chance to say goodbye to everyone. There was never really that moment to kind of let it sit in," he said. "But it was the last time that the original version of the Guardians of the Galaxy were on set together, and we were all in tears."
He received some special praise for his Marvel role
Dave Bautista accomplished his goal of proving his weight as a professional actor during his tenure at Marvel Studios. Aside from taking on more movie roles, celebrities and filmmakers took note of Bautista's talent. Chance the Rapper posed the question on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Is there a specific reason why Dave Bautista is such a good actor?" This prompted James Gunn to make a now-deleted reply (via Screen Rant), saying, "The difference between Dave & many wrestler-actors is when you look in his eyes on set he's in the place he's supposed to be, not thinking about what he's going to do next."
Wrestler Chris Jericho, who has shared the ring with Bautista on many occasions, also positioned The Animal as the best grappler-turned-actor. "I think his work and his diversity — from what I've seen — I think he's the best actual actor," Jericho said during an appearance on "Truth or Dab Rapid Fire."
Most notably, Bautista received some high acclaim from MCU head honcho Kevin Feige upon the release of "Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3." "Not only is Drax one of the best characters in the MCU, written by James, but I think Dave Bautista has become one of the best actors that we've ever gotten," Feige said during a press conference (via Slash Film). "I just wanted to give that shout-out."
He is more than just muscle
Dave Bautista has transformed his career after his decade-long stint as the comedic warrior Drax, portraying plenty of characters showing his range as an actor. Still, he has not reached his peak. Bautista continuously talks about wanting to take on more dramatic roles — and hopefully keeping his shirt on far more. He doesn't just want to become an action star like wrestlers-turned-actors before him. "I never wanted to be the next Rock," Bautista said in an interview with GQ in 2023. "I just want to be a good f***ing actor. A respected actor."
"Honestly, I could give a f*** [about being a movie star]," he said. "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." Unsurprisingly, Bautista has a variety of films scheduled for upcoming release following his MCU exit. He is slated to reprise roles in sequels for "Dune," "My Spy," and "Army of the Dead." He will star in the action-comedy "The Killer's Game," lend his voice in the animated "Groove Tails," and enter the fantasy realm with the George R. R. Martin story "In the Lost Lands."
He built life-long friendships with the Guardians
On a more personal note, Dave Bautista's life was changed by "Guardians of the Galaxy" thanks to the friends he made along the way. The cast members have talked about the camaraderie established while shooting the movies. "We truly do feel like a family offscreen. I know everyone says that, but we genuinely have that," said Karen Gillan (Nebula) to Marvel.com.
In particular, director James Gunn has divulged he is ready to poach each of them for future projects. "I cannot tell you how close I am to Chris Pratt and Pom [Klementieff] and Dave and Zoe [Saldana] and Karen. But I also know I will work again with all those people individually again," Gunn said in an interview with Empire. Meanwhile, Bautista will likely never forget the special bond developed by making the space opera trilogy. "When we first started this journey, we weren't a big blockbuster franchise. We were quirky characters that everyone was kind of expecting to fail. But we knew that it was special," he said to Digital Spy. "They're family to me now. And I love them dearly."