10 september 2024 : Former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista recently made headlines for his dramatic weight loss, revealing a much slimmer appearance at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The 55-year-old actor, known for his role as Drax in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, left fans curious about how he achieved this transformation.
Dave Bautista’s Weight Loss Journey
In a past interview on LIVE with Kelly and Mark, Bautista shared the details of his weight loss journey. He explained that he had gained a significant amount of weight for his role in Knock at the Cabin. To regain his fitness and avoid being typecast in similar roles, he turned to jiu-jitsu. “I put on all this weight for Knock at the Cabin. I was really big, like over 300 lbs (about 136 kg),” Bautista said.
To shed the weight, he brought in his trainer and friend, Jason Manly, while filming Dune in Budapest. “We did nothing but grapple for hours,” he shared, noting that the intense martial arts training helped him lose around 50 lbs (22.67 kg).
Comfortable with the Change
When Kelly Ripa mentioned that much of Bautista’s weight was muscle, the actor admitted, “I was trimming down, and I’ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I’m okay with it because I just feel more comfortable.”