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Comparing The Grind: Dave Bautista Reveals Whether He Thinks Wrestling Or Acting Is Harder

Dave Bautista recently spoke about the grind of being a professional wrestler and compared it to his experiences in Hollywood.
Rick Ucchino|
Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista | IMAGO / Xinhua

Dave Bautista is really enjoying his life post professional wrestling.

The future WWE Hall of Famer has carved out a very respectable and successful career in Hollywood and recently compared the two fields during an interview with Film Inside.

While the film industry can be tedious and demanding, Bautista was built to withstand the incredibly long hours and extreme working conditions that actors often endure on the set of a full length feature production. The former World Heavyweight Champion credits his strong work ethic, which was forged during his days in the squared circle.

"My work ethic really came from the WWE... it's just the hardest grind that I could ever imagine. Being in Hollywood and being on a film set, it's long hours, but compared to the grind of being a professional wrestler, it's just a cakewalk." Bautista said. "I'm in this business, and I find it hard to relate to people who are just always unhappy on set and always complaining about something. I don't relate to that at all."

Bautista continued.

"I grew up and with not much, and I'm always grateful for everything I have, and I really didn't make a dime till I was in my mid-30s, so I remember what it's like to not have anything. So I'm grateful for what I have, but also with my work ethic, I don't feel like this is a constant grind. I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to have opportunities. I'm grateful to be in this business, you know? I'm grateful to be able to do what I love. I was a very developed adult before I ever got into this industry."
Dave Bautista h/t Fightful

The interview with Film Inside was done ahead of the release of Bautista's latest movie, In the Lost Lands, back in March. The post apocalyptic fantasy feature received mixed reviews and did not do well at the box office. It's now available for at home digital rental.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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