As impressive as Hulk Hogan might have been in Suburban Commando, Rian Johnson is naming Dave Bautista as the best wrestler-turned-actor in Hollywood. Recently, Johnson was able to work with Bautista for the Knives Out sequel Knives Out: A Glass Onion Mystery. The film is now available on Netflix where it's been garnering strong reviews, ranking high with both critics and audiences alike at Rotten Tomatoes; its Tomatometer score and audience score are both sitting at 93%.
A lot of the praise for Glass Onion is going to its ensemble cast, and Bautista has been a standout performer for many. Speaking about the film in a new interview with The Atlantic, Johnson notes how Bautista was also the actor who surprised him most of all with his performance. Bautista's character was originally written as someone much smaller who was "overcompensating," but Johnson was enamored by the casting once Bautista's name was brought up.
"When I was writing [his character, a men’s-rights streamer named Duke Cody], I was picturing a scrawny dude who’s trying to overcompensate. When Bautista was brought up, I was instantly so smitten by the idea. I’ve been a very big fan of his dramatic chops as an actor."
Johnson has been so impressed with Bautista that he's predicting more good things to come for the former WWE Superstar. When interviewer David Sims referred to Bautista as "low-key the greatest wrestler-to-actor ever," Rian Johnson had this to say in response.
"I absolutely 100 percent agree. And I think somebody like [Paul Thomas Anderson] is going to give him a real part and is gonna look like a genius. As a person, Bautista is genuinely, immediately vulnerable when you meet him, and that’s what I was excited about. This is someone who has the physical trappings of someone who would play it big, but he actually brings sensitivity to the role."
Dave Bautista Has Been Getting Praise
Other filmmakers have also seen the potential in Bautista. Courtesy of James Gunn, he previously made a big splash in Hollywood with his role as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, a part he will return to once again for the upcoming threequel. Denis Villeneuve and Zack Snyder have also recently given Bautista notable roles in their respective films Dune and Army of the Dead. M. Night Shyamalan has been among the latest filmmakers to turn to Bautista for a role by casting him for the upcoming thriller Knock at the Cabin.
Clearly, Bautista is here to stay in Hollywood, and the roles will continue to be sent his way for some time to come. For now, fans can check out his latest performance in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, now streaming on Netflix.