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Welcome to the English version of Solowrestling Read more
Welcome to the English version of Solowrestling Read more
Dave Bautista hung up his boots to pursue his new acting career in Hollywood. Little by little, the former world champion of WWE has been finding his place, becoming one of the most sought-after performers for his presence and versatility. So much so that The Hollywood Reporter has just chosen him as the best wrestler turned actor in history.
"It seemed that Bautista (Batista in WWE) would do more than fine as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy: he had the physique, and the makeup department could take care of the rest. But, as it turned out, he is actually a pretty good and versatile actor. Nowadays, Bautista is as busy in Hollywood as Batista was in WWE in 2006, which is to say that he has a full schedule," wrote Tony Maglio in his article.
"Bautista did something very smart that has helped him stand out. The former 'The Animal Batista' had a physique, well, like that of an animal. Bautista stands at 1.93 m (WWE exaggerated saying he was 1.98 m) and now weighs around 109 kg; as a wrestler, he was announced at 132 kg, and was probably quite accurate.
Although actors usually need to gain mass for certain roles, Bautista has slimmed down to fit in. That 'reverse' body transformation has greatly helped the suspension of disbelief that both Hollywood and WWE require. When you have the physique of 'Batista' (and Drax), you probably won't be offered many roles of an ordinary man."
Noteworthy is The Rock's descent to the second position on the list (despite still being one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood), and the rise of John Cena, whose schedule seems as full as Batista's. A special mention goes to the commendable fourth place of Roddy Piper, whose role in John Carpenter's They Live offered one of the most iconic lines in 90s science fiction cinema: "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
Hulk Hogan, recently deceased, occupies the seventh place. "The Hulkster" appeared in numerous films and series in the 80s and 90s, including the third installment of the Rocky saga. Closing the list is Andre the Giant, who left a great memory with his role as Fezzik in the iconic "The Princess Bride".
