Dave Bautista wants to find love. At least on screen.
After the actor-turned-wrestler recently made it clear that he wants to be taken seriously as a thespian, he recently pointed out that starring in a rom-com would qualify.
While speaking to Page Six at the premiere of Knock at the Cabin, the 54-year-old expressed interest in leading a rom-com.
“I know I’m not your typical rom-com lead,” he said. “I’m a little rough around the edges. But I always, you know, I look in the mirror and I say, I ask myself, ‘Am I that unattractive? Is there something that unappealing about me that excludes me from these parts?'”
Bautista has retired from the world of wrestling, and first got into acting around 2009 with a small role in the Werner Herzog film, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? He’s since gone on to deliver critically-acclaimed performances in two Guardians of the Galaxy films, Blade Runner 2049, Dune, and most recently Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. He’s yet to be offered a role in a rom-com, though.
“I don’t know. It’s just never come my way," he continued. "I’ve never had an offer to do a rom-com. I still have high hopes. I’ll just keep searching.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter this week, Bautista reiterated that he wants to be thought of as a versatile actor. He said he spoke with Guardians of the Galaxy casting director about Lee Pace, his co-star in the film, an felt inspired after she said he could “do anything” as an actor. “I want people to speak to me in those regards: ‘Dave can do anything,’ and that’s what I want to be my legacy," he said. "Not even a specific character, I just want to leave behind a legacy that Dave could do anything, he did any genre—he did comedy, action, drama, whatever you asked him to do he could do.”
His comments echo a sentiment he shared last month about expressing “relief” in regards to his upcoming depature from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While he admitted that he is “grateful” for the Guardians character “Drax,” he said he didn’t know if he wants Drax to be his “legacy” as an actor. “It’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff,” he said.
