Dave Bautista

Dave Bautista gained international recognition for his role as “Drax the Destroyer” in the Marvel feature “Guardians of the Galaxy,” starring opposite Chris Pratt, Benicio Del Toro, Bradley Cooper, and Zoe Saldana. The film follows an unlikely team—including an American pilot and a group of futuristic ex-cons—on the run with a highly coveted object, joining forces to confront a cosmic threat. Bautista reprised his role in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which added Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone to the ensemble and grossed over $863 million at the box office. The Guardians later appeared in “Avengers: Infinity War,” which set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend in history, and in “Avengers: Endgame,” which went on to earn $2.79 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time.

Beyond the Marvel franchise, Bautista appeared in the Fox comedy “Stuber,” starring opposite Kumail Nanjiani and directed by Michael Dowse. The film follows an unsuspecting Uber driver thrust into a night of chaotic adventure. Bautista has also starred in the family-action comedy “My Spy” for STX. The story centers on a hardened CIA agent forced into an unlikely partnership with a precocious nine-year-old girl while undercover.

Bautista’s other recent film roles include the thriller “Hotel Artemis,” opposite Jodie Foster and Sterling K. Brown, about a nurse running a secret, members-only emergency room for criminals, and the action film “Final Score,” in which he plays an ex-soldier tasked with saving a football stadium from terrorists. In 2015, he appeared in the Sony feature “Spectre,” the 24th installment of the James Bond series, starring alongside Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, and Léa Seydoux. Bautista portrayed “Hinx,” a battle-hardened hitman for the secretive terrorist organization SPECTRE. He also appeared in the action film “Heist” with Robert De Niro and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Before his acting career, Bautista was a professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he was a six-time world champion and an international spokesman for the organization. He retired from WWE in 2010 to focus on acting.

Bautista’s past film credits include “Blade Runner 2049,” “Escape Plan 2” and “3,” “Bushwick,” Luc Besson’s “Warrior Gate,” Universal’s “Riddick,” and “The Man with the Iron Fists.” His television appearances include “Chuck,” “Headcase,” and “Smallville.”