How Dave Bautista Conquered His Hardships to Become a Respected Actor

Dave Bautista is not only a star but he’s proved to everyone repeatedly that he won’t give up. His commitment to building and improving himself is his goal, he never settles, and most importantly, he keeps his chin up every time it gets complicated. We can learn many valuable lessons from him because he proves that anything can be achieved if you put your dedication and heart into it.

The bittersweet journey

Dave Bautista started out in life with nothing. His first job, where he got paid generously, was when he was a bouncer at 17, and he did that for another 10+ years. Life continued to be challenging when, in the late ’90s, he had 2 daughters to feed and take care of. He couldn’t afford to buy them presents. He even borrowed money from someone and was desperate for work, but unfortunately, he had no education and nothing to fall back on.

All his sweat and tears paid off.

Though life was throwing him constant lemons, he did not give up. He tried many things and failed a lot, he signed up for a pro wrestling school, which took years, but after hard training and hardships, he eventually won 6 world championships in 2005. Opportunities opened up for him, and by 2009, he was one of the most successful and biggest stars in the WWE.

He mentioned that both he and John Cena were always headlining the shows, magazines, commercials, etc. In those years, wrestlers like Dwayne Johnson were making the leap from WWE to Hollywood movies, showing that wrestlers can offer more than just what happens inside the ring. After failed negotiations with Dave and the WWE, he left the show to pursue acting in 2010.

His huge success in a Hollywood film

He went through a lot, but it was all worth it. He says that at first, he couldn’t have cared less about acting, he loved wrestling because he felt he was coming into his own. But he saw John Cena getting acting roles, and that’s when he left the WWE for good in 2010. During his first few years as an actor, he lost all the money he had saved from WWE, and it was like he was back to square one. He was given a lot of roles, but the scripts were poorly written, which could affect his reputation. However, a good friend of his gave him some good advice.

The advice was, “The money will be tempting. Don’t get caught in that trap.” He listened, and he took it slow, he accepted minor roles in films and eventually got a big role. He ultimately got his role in a huge franchise movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, where he played the character Drax. He was driving when he found out he got that role, he had to pull over because he was so emotional and was shaking uncontrollably. He immediately shared the good news with his wife, and they were ecstatic.

Creating his own brand by constantly improving himself

Success came pretty quickly after that. He got a lot of offers, and he even returned to the WWE sometimes. People have compared him to Dwayne Johnson because he has a similar physique and is into acting, but he said, “I never wanted to be the next Rock. I just want to be a good actor. A respected actor.”

His mindset brought him to where he is now.

Dave is indeed tough. He said, “I’m afraid of things. I’m nervous about things. But I can force myself to do things that make me uncomfortable because I know I’m not gonna get anywhere if I don’t. I may cringe after the fact, but I’m not going to let that fear hold me back.” We should all take his courage as an example to follow. His grit, wisdom, and patience are unmatched.

His opportunities in movie roles are overflowing, but he is focused on mastering his craft. He said, “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. It’s about the experience.” He was never after the money or reputation; it was all about his self-improvement, which makes him an extraordinary actor because he built his own throne from sweat and tears.