Rian Johnson has officially declared Dave Bautista as the greatest wrestler-turned-actor in Hollywood.
Recently, the 49-year-old director was able to work with the 53-year-old former WWE star for the new Knives Out sequel, titled Knives Out: A Glass Onion Mystery.
The film had a limited theatrical release before it was released on Netflix last week, where it has garnered outstanding reviews from both critics and audiences.
Speaking about the movie - which is currently ranked number one on the streaming service - in an interview with The Atlantic, Johnson shared how Bautista was the actor who surprised him most with his performance.
The Guardians of the Galaxy actor appears in the movie as Duke Cody - a men's rights streamer who many people have compared to Joe Rogan.
But, when it came to writing the character, the director had a completely different portrayal in his head. Johnson revealed that Bautista's character was initially written as someone much smaller who was "overcompensating".
"I was picturing a scrawny dude who’s trying to overcompensate," he explained. "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 was enamored with Bautista's performance and said that he's predicting more prominent roles for the former WWE Superstar. When writer David Sims referred to him as "low-key the greatest wrestler-to-actor ever," Johnson replied: "I absolutely 100 percent agree."
Of course, other former WWE champions who have turned their attention to the big screen include John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, and - of course - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
"And I think somebody like [Paul Thomas Anderson] is going to give him a real part and is gonna look like a genius," the filmmaker continued. "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," he added.
This isn't the first time a director has been impressed with Bautista. He has also received similar praise from James Gunn, the director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films.
According to Today Online, in a now-deleted Twitter thread responding to a question about why Bautista is such a good actor, Gunn responded that he is an actor who values his craft.
Other filmmakers have also seen the potential in the Marvel star. Directors Denis Villeneuve and Zack Snyder have given him significant roles in their respective films Dune and Army of the Dead.
In addition to this, M. Night Shyamalan has recently been among the latest filmmakers to turn to Bautista for a role by casting him for the forthcoming thriller Knock at the Cabin.
Clearly, the former World Heavyweight champion is here to stay. Fans can check out his latest performance in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, now streaming on Netflix.
.png_LlQ82r?tr=h-40)
.png_LlQ82r?tr=h-184)
