Batista takes a hilarious dig at The Rock's acting skills
Batista entered the world of Hollywood after his first WWE run ended in 2010, but it took him a few years to get things kickstarted. His big breakout role was undoubtedly when he was cast as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy in the summer of 2014.
Since then, Batista has taken many different roles and is a rising star in the world of Hollywood. However, there's no doubt as to who the most successful pro wrestler post-in-ring career is - The Rock.
At one point, The Rock was the highest paid actor in the world. While he rarely stars in award-winning or critically-acclaimed films, he seems to have worked out the formula to make financially successful films and has become a megastar in Hollywood.
Speaking to thethings.com, Batista explained that The Rock was a movie star before becoming a movie star, referring to the fact that he was already a mega star in WWE. Batista also took a sly dig at The Rock's acting skills:
“[The] Rock was, in a way, a movie star before he was even a movie star. There is something about him that’s really special. I’d never take that away from him. Would I consider him a great actor? F— no. I want good roles. I don’t care about Fast and Furious or Bumblebee. … That’s not the kind of stardom I want. … I want to be in Dune. I want to work with Denis Villeneuve. I want to work with Sam Mendes and Jodie Foster. I want to work with Academy Award winners. I’m proud to be a character actor. I want that respect and credibility and education.”
Can Batista reach The Rock's status in Hollywood?
While Batista may not become a household name like The Rock currently is in Hollywood, it's unlikely that he would want that. The Rock, post wrestling career, took many years for his Hollywood career to star becoming successful. He eventually had his breakout and his choice of movies to act in is primarily due to the fact that he has a big team behind him that knows exactly what he's best suited for.
Batista could still make big waves in Hollywood.