- Dave Bautista says walking away from Drax after "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is a "relief."
- "It wasn't all pleasant," he told GQ. "It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down."
Dave Bautista will not miss playing Drax in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise.
Though it launched him into stardom after years of being known best as a WWE wrestler, after six movies and a holiday special playing the intimidating destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bautista has his sights on bigger things.
"I'm so grateful for Drax. I love him," the star told GQ in a recent interview. "But there's a relief [that it's over]. It wasn't all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don't know if I want Drax to be my legacy — it's a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff."
In May 2001, Bautista made news when he said that the upcoming "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" would mark the final time he would play Drax. And since then, it doesn't look like he's changed his mind.
Lately, the actor has been focused on building up his acting chops, which will continue to be showcased in 2023.
He can currently be seen playing the alpha male Duke Cody in the Netflix hit "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Tale."
In February, he'll be seen in M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin." This role will boast the most lines he's ever had in a movie, Bautista noted to GQ.
"It's by far the most I've ever spoken in a film," he said. "Just huge pages of monologues."
"We were shooting on film, which is very expensive," he continued. "And we were shooting with one camera, so you don't have the luxury of edits. It's your only opportunity — you need a perfect take. It's a lot of pressure. I want to remember my dialogue, but not at the expense of losing the emotion of the scene."
Following "Guardians 3" in May, he will then be seen at the end of the year in "Dune: Part Two," in which he reprises his role of the intense Glossu Rabban Harkonnen from the first movie.
So, even though Drax is beloved by millions over the world, Bautista is in search of a career where he'll be known more for his acting talents than just one role.
"Honestly, I could give a fuck [about being a movie star]," he told GQ. "I don't live a great big glamorous life. I live here in Tampa. I don't care about the spotlight, I don't care about fame. I just want to be a better actor. I want respect from my peers. I don't need accolades — I really don't, man. It's about the experience, about knowing that I accomplished something."