Dave Bautista, known for his massive, muscular build, has surprised fans by slimming down for his latest role. The former professional wrestler, who transitioned into acting, shed four stone while preparing for his lead role as a veteran assassin in the upcoming film The Killer’s Game.
Bautista’s transformed physique was noticeable at the Toronto Film Festival premiere of The Last Showgirl on September 6. In an interview with YouTuber Chris Van Vliet, the 55-year-old revealed, “I’m getting super trimmed, this is probably the lightest I’ve been since I was 19.”
The Weight Loss Journey Of Dave Bautista
His weight loss journey began after finishing the 2022 M. Night Shyamalan thriller Knock at the Cabin. Bautista now weighs less than during his early wrestling days, when he performed under the name Deacon Batista.
Recalling his heaviest days, he shared, “The most I weighed was 370lbs (26 stone). When I started as Deacon, I was around 325lbs (23 stone). Throughout most of my wrestling career, I was about 290lbs (21 stone). Now, I’m about 240lbs (17 stone).” He added that during the filming of Knock at the Cabin, he was at 315lbs (23 stone), which is when his weight loss struggle began.
Bautista, who gained fame in his 30s as a pro wrestler and later as a movie star at 45 with Guardians of the Galaxy, has transformed both his body and career over the years. In a recent Instagram post, he shared a throwback photo from when he was 16, showing his younger, tattoo-free self. Over time, his body has become covered in tattoos, including the Greek and Philippine flags, representing his heritage.
A Look At Dave Bautista’s Life
He revealed in his memoir that by age 13, he was regularly in trouble, getting arrested for minor offenses like skipping school and petty theft. Despite these challenges, he insisted his actions weren’t driven by anger or rebellion but by following what others around him were doing.
By 17, Bautista was living on his own and worked as a nightclub bouncer, eventually getting arrested again after a fight at work. It wasn’t until his 30s that he escaped poverty through his wrestling career, becoming a four-time World Heavyweight Champion.
In the mid-2000s, Bautista also started building his acting career, which took off with his role as Drax the Destroyer in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. His performance, alongside stars like Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, propelled him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with roles in major films like Avengers: Endgame, the second-highest-grossing movie of all time.
Bautista has since appeared in various franchises, including the Knives Out series and the Dune movies with Timothée Chalamet. Among his upcoming projects is a role as Beowulf in the film Grendel, based on a novel that retells the classic epic from the perspective of the monster.
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