Dave Bautista Throws Shade at The Rock When Asked About Following in His Footsteps

Actor and former wrestler Dave Bautista has thrown shade at The Rock after being asked in a recent interview if he wants to be like him.

The pair actually have some similarities, they have both been professional wrestlers, and their acting career isn’t too dissimilar, either.

I mean, the pair have both took on roles that see them as characters not too be messed with.

But Bautista is adamant that he doesn’t want to be the second coming of Dwayne Johnson.

Dave Bautista doesn’t want to be like The Rock. Credit: REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo

He told GQ magazine: “I never wanted to be the next Rock – I just want to be a good f****** actor. A respected actor.”

To put it mildly, Bautista is not doing too bad for himself, with his recent Netflix hit Glass Onion doing big numbers on the streaming platform.

2023 looks set to be a big year for the former wrestler too, with A Knock at the Cabin, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Dune: Part Two all on the horizon in the coming months.

Bautista has actually previously distanced himself from Johnson in an interview a few years ago.

Speaking to the Tampa Bay Times back in 2019, Bautista said: “Rock was, in a way, a movie star before he was even a movie star. There is something about him that’s really special.

“I’d never take that away from him.

“Would I consider him a great actor? F*** no,” he added.

Bautisa continued: “I want good roles. I don’t care about Fast and Furious or Bumblebee. … That’s not the kind of stardom I want … I want to be in Dune.

“I want to work with Denis Villeneuve. I want to work with Sam Mendes and Jodie Foster.

“I want to work with Academy Award winners. I’m proud to be a character actor. I want that respect and credibility and education.”

Dave Bautista detailed how he picks his roles. Credit: ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

The Guardians of the Galaxy actor also spoke on roles with GQ, saying how he likes to get out of his comfort zone and improve his craft.

He said: “I’m afraid of things – I’m nervous about things. But I can force myself to do things that make me uncomfortable, because I know I’m not gonna get anywhere if I don’t.

“I may cringe after the fact, but I’m not going to let that fear hold me back.”