Dave Bautista
Birthdate: Jan 18, 1969
Birthplace: Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Dave Bautista (birthname: David Michael Bautista Jr.) is a former World Champion pro wrestler who has successfully transformed himself into a popular actor, particularly as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The legendary German filmmaker Werner Herzog cast Bautista in his first movie role as a cop in the remarkable U.S.-based drama, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? (2009), starring Michael Shannon. After his first starring role in a direct-to-video movie, Wrong Side of Town (2010), Bautista starred in the action movie, House of the Rising Sun (2011), with Amy Smart and Danny Trejo.
Bautista’s first role in a major Hollywood franchise was in the direct-to-video The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption (2012), followed by a supporting role in the Quentin Tarantino-presented and RZA-written-and-directed martial arts movie, The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), starring Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, RZA, and Rick Yune, but failing to score a profit on a $15 million budget. Dave Bautista’s first of several sci-fi action movies was in a supporting role in writer-director David Twohy’s Riddick (2013), with Vin Diesel, earning ($98.3 million) nearly three times its costs ($38 million).
Bautista enjoyed his breakout role as Drax in writer-director James Gunn’s MCU comedy-adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), with Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Diesel, Bradley Cooper, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro, and grossing a strong $773.3 million globally. Bautista co-starred in the little-seen slasher comedy, L.A. Slasher (2015) from writer-director Martin Owen and with Mischa Barton, Eric Roberts, and Danny Trejo, followed by a small role in the Sam Mendes-directed Bond movie, Spectre (2015), starring Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, and Ralph Fiennes, and earning $881 million worldwide.
Dave Bautista gained a name-above-title and face-on-poster alongside co-star Robert De Niro in the heist movie, Heist (2015), with Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kate Bosworth, and Morris Chestnut, but which lost money with a weak $4 million return. Bautista led a cast full of MMA players in the commercially failed martial arts movie, Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016), with Jean-Claude Van Damme, followed by a co-starring role—with Christopher Meloni and Bruce Willis—in the crime movie, Marauders (2016), earning a mere $1 million for Lionsgate. After the Chinese-French direct-to-video action-fantasy, The Warriors Gate (2016), Bautista was the star and executive producer for the little-seen thriller, Bushwick (2017), co-starring Brittany Snow, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.
Dave Bautista returned as Drax in writer-director James Gunn’s hit sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), reuniting the original cast with new entries Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone, and grossing a dazzling $863.8 million. Director Denis Villeneuve cast Bautista in a supporting role in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), with Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto, though it failed to gain a profit with a sub-par $267.5 million return. Bautista’s first non-Guardians MCU movie was Avengers: Infinity War (2018), becoming the fourth highest-grossing movie in history with a $2.05 billion global gross.
Bautista joined Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, Jeff Goldblum, and Brian Tyree Henry in the box-office failure of writer-director Drew Pearce, Hotel Artemis (2018), followed a co-starring turn opposite Sylvester Stallone in a direct-to-video action item (and theatrically released abroad), Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018). As producer-star, Bautista didn’t score a hit with the Russian-set thriller, Final Score (2018), with Pierce Brosnan and Ray Stevenson (only $1.5 million gross on a $20 million), and his next project, the Hong Kong-China martial arts actioner, Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018), with Michelle Yeoh and Tony Jaa, didn’t do much better with a global take under $20 million on a $28 million budget.
Once again, Dave Bautista appeared in the Infinity War companion movie (filmed at the same time but released a year later), Avengers: Endgame (2019), again directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and reaching an unprecedented global gross of $2.8 billion. Bautista displayed his comedy chops opposite Kumail Nanjiani in the Los Angeles buddy-cop movie, Stuber (2019), directed by Michael Dowse and earning a powerhouse $100.4 million gross for 20th Century Fox. After the COVID-affected Amazon Prime Video movie in which Bautista starred and produced, My Spy (2020), Bautista starred in Zack Snyder’s much-delayed zombie heist movie, Army of the Dead (2021), which had a one-week theatrical window before streaming on Netflix.
Dave Bautista reunited with director Denis Villeneuve in the role of Glossu Rabban for the acclaimed sci-fi epic, Dune (2021), as well as the sequel, Dune: Part Two (2023), and then expanded his Drax character in the Taika Waititi-directed MCU sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), with Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Russell Crowe, and Natalie Portman, grossing $761 million worldwide. Bautista joined a different ensemble under Rian Johnson’s direction in the Netflix-released sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), including Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., and Kate Hudson.
Bautista starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s apocalyptic drama, Knock at the Cabin (2023), with Rupert Grint and is projected to gross over $40 million globally. In 2023, Bautista appeared in two follow-up sequels, including Dune: Part Two and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, again written and directed by James Gunn. Bautista is the Peter Segal-directed My Spy: The Eternal City (2024) with Chloe Coleman, and then Bautista starred in the action movie, The Killer’s Game (2024), co-starring Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley under J.J. Perry’s direction and released wide by Lionsgate.
Dave Bautista co-starred in the Gia Coppola-directed drama, The Last Showgirl (2024), starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, and Billie Lourd, and premiering at the Toronto Film Festival. Bautista then co-starred with Milla Jovovich in director/co-writer Paul W. S. Anderson’s fantasy-adventure, In the Lost Lands (2024), co-written with George R.R. Martin and Constantin Werner, with lead producer Constantin Film.
Bautista joined the cast of Avatar Studio’s debut feature, Aang: The Last Airbender (2025), with Eric Nam, Dionne Quan, and Jessica Matten under Lauren Montgomery’s direction and released by Paramount Pictures. Bautista led the cast of director Michael Dowse’s El Paso-based thriller, Trap House (date to be announced), produced in part by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions and co-starring Jack Champion, Sophia Lillis, Kate del Castillo, Whitney Peak, and Bobby Cannavale.
Bautista then reunited with director J.J. Perry for the much-delayed post-apocalyptic drama, Afterburn (date to be announced), co-starring Samuel L. Jackson and Olga Kurylenko.
Personal Details
Dave Bautista (birthname: David Michael Bautista Jr.) was born and raised in Washington, D.C. by his mother Donna Raye, and David Bautista (hairdresser). He has one sister, named Donna. His mother is of Greek descent, while his father is of Filipino descent; his family was wracked with poverty and violence. Bautista was stealing cars by the time he was thirteen years old; four years later, he was living on his own, estranged from his parents.
He was sentenced to one year’s probation after seriously injuring two bar patrons when he was a bouncer; he worked as a lifeguard and then pursued a bodybuilding career before switching to an eventually successful professional wrestling career. Bautista was married to Glenda Fe Bautista from 1990 to 1998; the couple had two children, Keilani and Athena. Bautista’s second marriage was to Angie Lewis from 1998 to 2006; the couple had one son, named Oliver. Bautista’s third marriage was too competitive pole dancer Sarah Jade from 2015 to 2019. Bautista’s height is 6’ 4”. His estimated net worth is $16 million.
Filmography
actor
Upcoming (1)
- 2025 | In the Lost LandsasBoyce
In the Lost Lands
A sorceress travels to the Lost Lands in search of a magical power that allows a person to transform into a werewolf.
Previous (40)
- 2024 | The Killer’s GameasJoe Flood
The Killer’s Game
When a hitman is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend, he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues.
- 2024 | My Spy: The Eternal CityasJJ
My Spy: The Eternal City
JJ, a veteran CIA agent, reunites with his protégé Sophie, in order to prevent a catastrophic nuclear scheme threatening Vatican City, which disrupts a high school choir trip to Italy.
- 2024 |
- 2024 | Dune: Part TwoasBeast Rabban
Dune: Part Two
Paul Atreides unites with the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future.
- 2023 | Traphouseas William Durning
- 2023 | Universe's Most Wantedas John
- 2023 | The Boy and the HeronasTHe Parakeet King
The Boy and the Heron
In the wake of his mother's death and his father's remarriage, a headstrong boy named Mahito ventures into a dreamlike world shared by both the living and the dead.
- 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3asDrax
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own - a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful.
- 2023 | Knock at the CabinasLeonard
Knock at the Cabin
While vacationing, a girl and her parents are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse.
- 2022 | Cooleras Ray Sagona
- 2022 | Glass Onionas Duke Cody
- 2022 | Thor: Love and ThunderasDrax
Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.
- 2021 | Dune (2021)asGlossu Rabban Harkonnen
Dune (2021)
Paul Atreides arrives on Arrakis after his father accepts the stewardship of the dangerous planet. However, chaos ensues after a betrayal as forces clash to control melange, a precious resource.
- 2021 | Army of the DeadasScott Ward
Army of the Dead
Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
- 2020 | My Spyas JJ
- 2020 | My Spy: The Eternal Cityas Self - Host
- 2020 | Stars of the Ring: Cena, Johnson, Bautista
- 2019 | Escape Plan: The Extractorsas Trent DeRosa
- 2019 | Eternal Warrioras Gilad Anni-Padda
- 2019 |
- 2018 | Master Z: The Ip Man LegacyasDavidson
Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy
While keeping a low profile after his defeat by Ip Man, Cheung Tin Chi gets into trouble after getting in a fight with a powerful foreigner.
- 2018 | Escape Plan 2: Hadesas Trent DeRosa
- 2018 | Final Score
- 2018 | Hotel ArtemisasEverest
Hotel Artemis
Set in riot-torn, near-future Los Angeles, 'Hotel Artemis' follows the Nurse, who runs a secret, members-only emergency room for criminals.
- 2017 | Bushwickas Stupe
- 2017 | Blade Runner 2049asSapper Morton
Blade Runner 2049
Young Blade Runner K's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years.
- 2017 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2asDrax
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
The Guardians struggle to keep together as a team while dealing with their personal family issues, notably Star-Lord's encounter with his father, the ambitious celestial being Ego.
- 2016 | Enter the Warriors Gateas Arun
- 2016 | Kickboxer: Vengeanceas Tong Po
- 2016 | Maraudersas Stockwell
- 2015 | Heistas Jason Cox
- 2015 | In the Lost Landsas Boyce
- 2014 | Best of Raw After the Show
- 2014 | Groove Tailsas Angry Driver
- 2014 | Guardians of the GalaxyasDrax
Guardians of the Galaxy
A group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior with plans to purge the universe.
- 2013 |
- 2011 | House of the Rising Sunas Ray
- 2008 | WWE Summerslam: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 4
- 2008 | Why We Train
- 1982 | Unleashedas Self - Host
Some Facts About Dave Bautista
Childhood with Violence: Dave Bautista has recounted that there were three murders in the front yard of his family by the time he was nine years old.
Pro Wrestler: Bautista had a pro wrestling career from 1999 to 2019, performing under such ring names as Batista, Dave Batista, Deacon Batista, Khan, and Leviathan, as well as a one-year Mixed Martial Arts career under the name of Brass Body, earning a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Bautista was a pro wrestling World Heavyweight Champ from 2005 to 2008.
Tattoo Statement: Although Dave Bautista had as one of his many tattoos one of a meteor in honor of his fellow Filipino friend and boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, he had it covered with a sugar skull image after Pacquiao uttered homophobic slurs.
