From Bautista To Destroyer: The Truth About Dave Bautista

Isn’t it astonishing that “Guardians of the Galaxy” raked in over $94 million this past weekend? The film is exceptional, and a significant factor in its success is undoubtedly Drax, portrayed by the incredibly talented Dave Bautista.

Talking to Dave Bautista was a fantastic experience. He seemed genuinely surprised and thrilled that 25 bloggers were eager to interview him. During the conversation, we learned so much about him, both as an actor and a person. Dave shared some fascinating insights about his journey to becoming Drax, his challenges, and his dedication to bringing the character to life. He spoke about his training, preparation for the role, and what it’s like working with the rest of the cast.

To start, we asked how his WWE training helped prepare him for this movie. His response surprised me. Hearing how he had to adapt and learn new methods to bring the character to life on the big screen was fascinating.

It’s so different. I guess being athletic helped me a little bit. I picked up on stuff kinda easy. Still, it’s just so different from anything that I’d ever done We had really good stunt guys and relied on them for their advice. They showed me how to do stuff, and I would do it, I’d mess it up. They’d say, well, try it this way if it’s easier, and I’d say no, I like the way you did it because it looks cool that way. So just show me how to do it that way. I’d just do it and do it until I picked it up.

Dave Bautista did have to audition for the role of Drax. He didn’t simply receive the part; he had to earn it through hard work. Hearing about the effort he put into securing the role made me appreciate his portrayal of Drax even more.

I had to go to the first two initial auditions, but I think I went back for another audition (maybe another two auditions).  Then I think two or three screen tests and makeup tests. It was a lengthy process. It was over about three and a half to four months. Even when I got the part, I think it was another month or so before I could even acknowledge to anyone, publicly, that I got the part.

I know many of you are curious about the makeup process for Drax. You’re probably wondering how long it took to transform Dave Bautista into the character.

It typically took about four hours to apply and about an hour and a half to take off.  When we first started, it was longer to put it on; longer to take it off.  Toward the end of the film, it was about three hours to put on- an hour to take off.

Then, we had to ask if the extensive makeup for Drax restricted his movement. We wanted to know if all those layers and the intricate design made it difficult for him to move around or perform his action scenes.

There was all the prosthetics that were all glued on, so it did limit me a little bit, but not tremendously considering the visual and the makeup.

Given the significant amount of time Dave Bautista spent in makeup, we were intrigued to learn more about what attracted him to the role of Drax. We asked him about the specific aspects of the character and the story that resonated with him, prompting him to take on such a challenging and transformative role.

It was because he’s a nut job.  I’ve been wanting to do a role that wasn’t one noted.  He’s multi-layered and a character with little bit of  an emotional range.  People have a certain perception of me leaving wrestling, and I’m really not that guy at all.

Dave Bautista did have some childhood heroes who left a lasting impact on him. These influential figures played a significant role in shaping his aspirations and values as he grew up.

When we inquired about Dave’s expectations versus the reality of the role, his response genuinely surprised me. Despite being a recognized celebrity in his own right, he remains remarkably grounded and down-to-earth. His humility and perspective on the experience were truly eye-opening.

I always feel guilty when I’m asked this question, because I’m a Marvel guy, but Batman was my guy.  I have the whole Dark Knight series and also when I was a very young kid,  Aquaman was my favorite.

It’s weird.  I really didn’t have any expectations, so it’s just kinda starting to hit me how big it actually is.  I knew that the role would change my career and change my life. I have been really pounding the pavement for years since I left wrestling. It was hard for me to leave wrestling, because that was my bread and butter and how I made a living for ten years.  It was scary leaving it behind.  It’s like taking a chance on myself, because I didn’t have offers coming out of wrestling. I just left it to pursue acting.  I was just kind of hoping for the best.

He has numerous aspirations regarding what he hopes audiences will take away from his character portrayal.

I think when people see Drax, they automatically think that he’s going to be a one-noted character  – all he’s good for is fighting and chopping people’s heads off and stuff like that.  The way I approached the character was never really looking at Drax as a warrior, but more as a father and a husband.  I hope that people will see that that’s basically who he is and all his rage just comes from heartbreak, and not so much because he’s just hell bent on cutting people’s heads off.  He’s really just heartbroken over the loss of his family.

Then, we asked if he envisions himself pursuing avenues beyond action-oriented roles in the future.

I never set out to be an action star, and I think most people think that I’ll lean that way because of my background in wrestling, and the way I look.  I want to pursue more dialog driven stuff, more storyline driven stuff, character driven stuff.  I’m a huge fan of Tarantino’s, Guy Richie, and Martin Scorsese stuff.  Those are the type of films I love.  As far as action, I don’t think it’s going to ever get any bigger or better than this.

This then led us to ask what else he has in store beyond his current projects.

We’re going to do a remake of Kickboxer, so I’ll be an updated Tong Po.  Right now, career wise, that’s all I have.

Our next question delved into what Dave Bautista would choose to do for the rest of his career if he could continue his current activities. His answer was yet another unexpected revelation for me.

That’s a really hard toss up, because I really love professional wrestling.  I always tell people my favorite stuff is not the stuff that’s televised. I like doing the stuff that’s untelevised, because we’re not time restricted.  There’s more time for us to interact with the fans. I love that immediate feedback, and I wouldn’t mind actually doing theater.  I’m just so much bigger than everybody else, so I don’t get a whole lot of roles, but I love that immediate feedback.

Doing the film stuff, it’s just so challenging.  It is, hard to just wait, and then wait and wait some more. This has been the longest ten months of my life just waiting for this film to come out to see it, because I’ve been so excited about it.  I really love acting, and at this point in my life, it’s so challenging to me. It’s kind of cool when you get to my age to find something that you find very challenging and  your passionate about. 

I wish that I could just very quickly answer that and say I’d rather do this, but it’s just– so it’ll be acting or wrestling, to put that in a nutshell.  

In conclusion, interviewing Dave Bautista was an incredible experience. Like his character, Drax, he revealed layers of depth and personality that added to his charm and intrigue. I look forward to meeting with him again in the future! Did this interview shed light on aspects of Dave Bautista’s life or career previously unknown to you?