Movies Is Dave Bautista the best pro wrestler turned actor?

[Streeter]

Rock plays the Rock in all movies.

Bautista actually has some range an can actually act..

 

[Patrick Jane]

 

[I Am Legion]

Knock at The Cabin, GOG Universe, Glass Onion....yeah he destroys the Rock. It's too bad he is covered in tattoos and is still roided up, he probably could branch out even more.

 

[Bob Gray]

Yes, and it isn't close. Knock at the cabin sealed it for me. The movie itsef is fairly meh. But it all hinders on Bautistas performance, which is even against type since he's playing a school teacher. BUT he pulls it off. That was the role that made me see hin as an actor and not a wrestler.

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

Cena my fav love peacemaker

 

[Fedorgasm]

Peacemaker isn't much of a stretch from who cena is, so I'd have to give it to Bautista for range.

 

[Pliny Pete]

Where is all this fucking range that Bautista supposedly has, every movie I seen him in hes awkwardly delivering his mumbly lines while failing to emote anything unless its rage
Range, huh

 

[ufcfan4]

I think it's pretty clear that The Rock, Cena, and Big Dave are the gold standard of wrestling to acting success stories. Not likely to be equaled any time soon, either. Cody Rhodes (who outright wanted to be an actor) and Seth Rollins are the only people I can really see even attempting it currently. The latter is in the next Captain America movie, so we'll see how that goes.

Bautista seems to have shown the greatest variety of roles and I think it's been an impressive run. I've felt that the fact that Gunn and Villeneuve both seem to really like him and have worked with him multiple times and said nice things about his work is pretty telling. Those are two very solid filmmakers. It doesn't seem to be any coincidence that he's showed good acting ability and also has worked with a good number of experienced filmmakers. Even in mediocre movies, Bautista tends to deliver. I didn't think Snyder's recent zombie film was anything special but I thought Dave did a really effective job in the lead.

From Schumer's/Apatow's Trainwreck on, Cena has showed that he has a pretty natural comedic timing. He has leaned into that to the extent that I think his wheelhouse is definitely humorous films with some heart to them. Blockers, for instance, was a good film and he, Barinholtz and Mann had quite good chemistry as the main trio. It seems to me that when he's in more stonefaced action roles like Fast IX, he really doesn't get the chance to shine in the way that he does in these other roles.

I think The Rock actually had more nuanced roles and performances earlier in his career than recent years. That said, the Kerr movie might be an opportunity for him to do more in that regard. The presence of Emily Blunt and the fact that one of the Safdies at the helm bodes well for it.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

Do you mean the best ori wrestler to become an actor, the best actor out of all the pro wrestlers to turn actor? Or just the one who was most successful in acting?

 

[shunyata]

it is certainly one he was completely natural in.

He's great at comedy, give him a good writer and he shines.

Dave is funny too but he's made better inroads in dramas and big budget scifi.

 

[MC Paul Barman]

Big John Studd

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

Hmm.

Came into say Piper.

But the best movie with a wrestler in it is the Predator.

 

[TCE]

The list of classics goes on forever my dudes,

Suburban Commando was a great movie. Loved that shit when I was a kid. May need to rewatch it.

"Your dead, Ramsey" - the Undertaker with a child's voice. Hahaha.

 

[Mr. Shickadance]

I think it’s Cena his work in peacemaker shows amazing range, I haven’t seen this supposed amazing range from Bautista but maybe I haven’t seen his best movie. To me he just seems to play angry really well.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Suburban Commando was a great movie. Loved that shit when I was a kid. May need to rewatch it.

"Your dead, Ramsey" - the Undertaker with a child's voice. Hahaha.

First movie I ever watched as a kid.

Lmao I'll never forget The Undertaker with the kiddie voice - spoiled the magic of WWF for me at the age of 4,

 

[BoogerDawson]

Mil Mascaras

 

[BoogerDawson]

 

[Uber_Noober]

And it's not even close

 

[NoSmilez]

Where is all this fucking range that Bautista supposedly has, every movie I seen him in hes awkwardly delivering his mumbly lines while failing to emote anything unless its rage
Range, huh

I think they mean characters. Dave plays different roles instead of just the leading character. I will admit Dave doesn’t emote well. None of them are real good actors

 

[blaseblase]

Rock plays the Rock in all movies.

Bautista actually has some range an can actually act..

I was impressed by Rock's early movie career but then he got roided up and started playing the same action hero character in every movie. A shame because I think he has the talent but not the will to branch out like Batista did. Still waiting for him to play a villain (Awful looking CGI Scorpion King doesn't count).