"I Never Wanted To Be The Rock, I Wanted To Be A Good Actor"

Several wrestling stars have crossed the bridge to the world of Hollywood, with mixed success. The Rock and John Cena are two examples of wrestlers who not only climbed to the top of their sport but went on to become megastars in Hollywood.

RELATED: How Shawn Michaels Broke His Nose At The 2008 Royal RumbleDave Bautista is one of the most successful wrestler-turned-actors today. He most recently starred in Glass Onion, a murder mystery that follows a detective named Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig). Bautista's most lucrative character is undoubtedly MCU hero Drax.

Batista Reflects On His Acting Career

In an interview with GQ, Batista reflected on his breakthrough into the acting world, his financial troubles, and his growth as an actor. He laid out his goal early into the video, saying:

I never wanted to be the next Rock. I just want to be a good fucking actor. A respected actor.

Batista went on to discuss his love and obsession with acting.

I’m obsessed with it. It’s this puzzle that I can’t figure out. You don’t know if it’s right, but sometimes it feels right. I don’t get those moments a lot, but every once in a while I do. And fuck, to me, there’s nothing like it. It’s a natural high. It’s an addiction.

Batista says he has no interest in the glamorous life of a Hollywood star. Instead, he's much more focused on honing his craft and earning respect from his peers.

Honestly, I could give a f*ck [about being a movie star], 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.

Dave Bautista is starring in two major feature films coming out this year. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is premiering on May 5, while Knock at the Cabin, a horror/thriller film, will be premiering on February 3.

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