Dave Bautista recently addressed why he lost weight, citing his role in a recent film as a primary reason. He has been focusing on his acting career after transitioning from wrestling. The role required Bautista to gain significant weight, and he discussed the challenges of this transformation and his subsequent efforts to slim down. He explained how managing his physical appearance has become crucial as he takes on more diverse acting roles.
Dave Bautista addresses weight loss, says he’ll ‘probably lose a few more pounds’
Dave Bautista has recently addressed his significant weight loss in a conversation with YouTube creator Chris Van Vliet. The actor cited his role in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2023 film Knock at the Cabin as the main reason.
Bautista explained, “I started trimming down because I got really big for a role. Uncomfortably big. For ‘Knock at the Cabin,’ I got really big. I was around 315 pounds…I put the weight on really fast and I put on an uncomfortable amount of weight and it took forever to shed it out.” He has since slimmed down to about 240 pounds, stating that the change has helped him feel better and look more natural on screen.
Dave Bautista noted that his weight loss was also motivated by a desire to fit better alongside his co-stars. “The more I trimmed down, the better I looked on camera and the better I looked next to other actors,” he said. “I’m still a large human being. At 6’4” and 240 pounds, next to your typical actor, I look like a gorilla and it’s distracting. I’ll probably lose a few more pounds. I’m just killing myself to be this trim. I’m training hard.”
Knock at the Cabin (2023), directed by M. Night Shyamalan, is a psychological horror film based on Paul G. Tremblay’s novel. Dave Bautista stars as Leonard, who, with three accomplices, forces a family to make a choice to prevent an apocalypse. He gained and later lost weight for the role to fit his evolving acting career.
Reflecting on his acting journey, Dave Bautista seeks recognition for his work as an actor. “I just want to be a good fu*king actor. A respected actor,” he told GQ in 2023.
