Over the last several years (well, nearly a decade now since “Guardians of the Galaxy”), Dave Bautista has primarily been known for his action roles. This is, in no small part, related to his previous career as a professional wrestler and the fact that he’s a huge, muscly man. But if anything is known about Bautista in 2023, it’s that the man is desperately trying to branch out and be something more than just big, strong action dude. And that includes eventually getting that rom-com offer.
In a new interview with Page Six, Dave Bautista talked about the lack of rom-com offers he’s received over the years. And in a somewhat surprising and vulnerable statement, he wondered out loud if the lack of offers is because he’s not attractive.
“I know I’m not your typical rom-com lead,” Bautista said. “I’m a little rough around the edges. But I always, you know, I look in the mirror and I say, I ask myself, ‘Am I that unattractive? Is there something that unappealing about me that excludes me from these parts?’”
He added, “I don’t know. It’s just never come my way. I’ve never had an offer to do a rom-com. I still have high hopes. I’ll just keep searching.”
When you take all of Bautista’s recent interviews as a whole, it’s clear the actor wants to branch out. He loves working with Denis Villeneuve, as the filmmaker is one of the few who has offered him more than just big, strong dude roles, as seen in “Dune” and “Blade Runner 2049.” And now, with “Knock at the Cabin,” he’s still an intimidating force, but he’s actually asked to carry a film with his dramatic chops. Combine that with the comedy of “Glass Onion,” and maybe there’s a chance a rom-com offer could come his way.
Clearly, he’s not a Matthew McConaughey or Tom Hanks type, both of whom took advantage of their charm and likability and made lots of money in rom-coms. But with the right script, perhaps Bautista could be the next America’s sweetheart.
