Netflix
Glass Onion, the latest entry in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise, boasts a star-studded cast that features the likes of Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hawn, Jessica Hewick, Leslie Odom Jr., Madelyn Cline, and Ethan Hawke.
And yet, of all those stand-out actors, one of the film’s best performances came from wrestler turned action star turned legitimate actor Dave Bautista.
Johnson — who has also directed projects such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the iconic “Ozymandias” episode of Breaking Bad — obviously has some serious faith in Bautista’s talents, as he recently stated in an interview with The Atlantic that the 53-year-old former WWE champion is the best wrestler-turned-actor of all time.
“I absolutely 100 percent agree,” Johnson said when The Atlantic‘s interviewer stated that Bautista is ‘low-key the greatest wrestler-to-actor ever.’
“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.
Bautista’s filmography certainly backs up Johnson’s assertion. While the likes of The Rock and John Cena have primarily starred in blockbuster fare, Bautista has worked for actors such as Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Dune), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), Sam Mendes (Spectre), and M. Night Shyamalan in his upcoming film Knock at the Cabin.
In addition to Knock at the Cabin, 2023 will also see Bautista star in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — in what will likely be his final Marvel Cinematic Universe Film — and as Glossu Rabban in Dune: Part Two.
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