Rian Johnson Thinks Dave Bautista is the Greatest Wrestler-Turned-Actor

There are a lot of wrestlers-turned-actors today from Dwayne Johnson to John Cena, but only one WTA has managed to work with auteur filmmakers like Denis Villenueve and Zack Snyder. Dave Bautista has been nabbing great projects left and right, and Glass Onion director Rian Johnson was actually surprised by his talent when he finally got to work with him.

Talking to The Atlantic, Johnson explains how Bautista completely surprised him when he got cast in the Glass Onion. He explains:

“When I was writing [Bautista’s character, a men’s-rights streamer named Duke Cody], I was picturing a scrawny dude who’s trying to overcompensate. 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.”

Though Bautista has kind of only played muscle man roles even with his work with Villenueve and Snyder, Johnson believes he could be put in the spotlight one day and deliver some serious acting chops. Johnson continues:

“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.”

We don’t know what’s in store for Bautista in the future after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Dune Part Two, but so far he’s been hitting it out of the park with his latest projects. Catch him in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery now streaming on Netflix.