Dave Bautista has shared the reason behind his incredible body transformation after some fans were left concerned by the actor’s recent appearance.
The 55-year-old actor first shot to stardom back in the 2000s when he showcased his incredible physical prowess in the WWE.
Following an incredible career between the ropes – which saw him win six world championships in the promotion – “Batista” (as he was simply known back then), began to hang up his boots and transition into acting full-time.
His incredible wrestler’s physique – weighing around 290lbs and absolutely jacked – saw him earn a lot of roles as dominating characters. These include Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mr. Hinx in James Bond movie Spectre, and Everest in Hotel Artemis.
But what’s become more and more clear to viewers is that Bautista isn’t just a big wrestler who can stumble through an action movie – he may just be one of the most overlooked actors in the last decade (and certainly the best wrestler to ever transition to Hollywood).
But it seems like some lifelong fans just can’t shed the image of a musclebound Bautista preparing to hit somebody with a Batista Bomb in the ring.
Earlier this month, the star walked the red carpet of his new movie, The Last Showgirl premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
After appearance at the event wearing a dashing black suit, it was evident that Bautista had trimmed down – something that some social media users voiced concerns about.
“No way thats him,” one person tweeted, with another adding: “What happened to Dave Bautista?”
But as more and more people questioned the star’s appearance, others were quick to share a video of the actor explaining why he has lost some weight.
During a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Bautista said: “I’m getting super trim, this is probably the lightest I’ve been since I was 19 years old.”
He then added that the heaviest he’s ever been was 370lbs.
Bautista then revealed that he was 315lbs for his role in 2023’s Knock at the Cabin, but described it as a “nightmare” trying to shed the weight. “Now I’m really particular about my diet,” he added.
In a previous interview with Men’s Health, Bautista revealed that he had cut out a lot of meat and dairy products and was now eating a predominantly plant-based diet – as well as adopting a more cardio-based workout regime – adding that he was focusing more on his health and longevity rather than looking bulky.
This was something he would elaborate on during his interview back in the summer on LIVE with Kelly and Mark, where he revealed: “I was trimming down, and I’ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I’m okay with it, because I just feel more comfortable.”
Bautista has also been outspoken about his fears of being “typecast” as a big guy in movies – something he has actively tried to avoid over the years.
During an interview with Digital Spy in 2017, he said: “When I first got into acting, everybody wanted these big, dumb muscle-heads. I really fought it.
“I turned down a lot of roles because I didn’t want to be typecast as that guy. I wanted to do characters who are, you know, interesting and multi-layered.”
So there you have it – at 240lbs, Bautista is still far from a small dude. It’s just that some people are still not used to seeing him as anything other than a spine-bustering champ.
