Dave Bautista is a big guy (obviously), and he looks quite menacing when walked into a room in full costume errr makeup for an interview about Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2. But like his character, Drax, Dave Bautista isn’t quite what you would expect. The former WWE star is humble, likable and yes, like Drax, he is also funny.
One thing that stood out while on set getting to know cast and grew is how much they genuinely enjoy being around one another. Like co-workers in any other profession, downtime on set is often spent talking and getting to know each other. Several times throughout the interviews people referenced the cast becoming like family, and when we watched them interact with each other off screen it showed.
Although clearly different than their characters, I enjoyed the cast of Guardians Of The Galaxy as much off camera as I did in the movie. As a huge fan, it only made me want to join the band of misfit heroes on their next mission even more. I wonder if I could pull off all of that make up? Obviously.
Thanks to Disney for inviting me on this once-in-a-lifetime set visit.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2: Dave Bautista Interview
Directly from my interview with Dave Bautista, here is what he had to say about GOTGV2.
On what it’s like to be back on set for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2:
It’s awesome. It’s the first reoccurring role for me, so it was weird because now I got to be part of the screen testing process rather than screen testing for myself. But also I realized how comfortable I was in the role. Even when I watched the first film I can see that I transitioned from being very nervous and very uncomfortable to being very comfortable and really getting to know Drax. Also being comfortable on a big set, ‘cause it was a huge deal for me. That was my first really huge film. We spent so much time together not only on the first film but also on the press tour. So we all got to be like really close. So yeah, we’re like family.
On the makeup process:
It’s awesome. If we got [makeup] done in four hours on the first film, it was a great day. I mean, everybody was celebrating. This one is like an hour and a half at the most. But the thing is, it’s a whole new system they’re using. They used to just dab on the paint, and that’s how they started the process. Now they attack me with paint rollers. There’s like five guys rolling paint. And then there’s other stuff too.
The tattoos were actually sheets of silicone on the first [film]. Now they’re just transferred so all of these are individual. They’re moldings of glue so they stick on to me, but also it’s very hard to get off. So at the end of the day I sit in the sauna for about an hour to really sweat it off, and they come and start to peel it off of me. But still, it’s so fast now it’s not even an issue. It’s uncomfortable, and it smells bad.
On his relationship with the new character, Mantis:
I don’t want to give anything away. I will say [that] Mantis and Drax definitely make a connection. It’s probably not the connection most people are going to expect or that people might be reading into, but definitely a connection. But I think fans have to remember that the heart of Drax is his heartbreak over his family. I don’t think there’s ever gonna be that next love interest for Drax. I think he had that love interest. She’s gone. That’s what he’s driven by is that heartbreak, you know? That sinking revenge.
On his character, Drax:
You know what I love most about him? It’s that he is not what people expect. When I did the first one, I think people expected Drax to be a certain way, and James went the totally opposite way with him. If you take a big guy and he looks menacing and he looks terrified, it’s easy to be that guy on screen, you know? You growl a lot. You snarl a lot. You cut people’s heads off, and it’s easy. There’s just nothing challenging about it. But to be THAT guy and look THAT way, but then to make people laugh. I think that is the challenge. And I think that’s the fun part, and that’s what I love about Drax. I think it’s fair to say that there’s a lot more of that in this film. I think Drax just has a bigger role in this film.
I’d like to see my character in The Avengers. You know, this is wishful thinking. I’d like to see my character stick it to Thanos, but that’s just me. Those are personal things. Otherwise, I’m pretty satisfied with the character. He’s actually more than I ever thought he could be or really wished that he could be. But I have to give a lot of credit to James for that. He’s been the creative mind behind Drax. He’s really created an incredible character.
On training for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2:
I didn’t really train for the last [film]. And I had the luxury of the big sheets of latex. And I came in and did the first makeup test for this film, I was like, “Wow, I really have to be in shape for this.” Because the makeup is unforgiving. It doesn’t hide anything. So I actually trained rigorously for this, and I still do. I can’t train on the days that we work. But people always say what do you do with your days off? I work out. I train. I went to the gym, sometimes twice a day. Yeah, I’ve been hitting it hard ‘cause I want to deliver. I want Drax to look the part as well. So I really took this more seriously, diving and training. Hopefully it’ll show.
On doing his own stunts:
Many people may think that I’m a professional wrestler and I can do my own stunts. Sometimes I don’t want to do my own stunts, you know? Like there was a part where they set the character on fire. And I was like, “Stuntman, please.” I don’t want to be set on fire. I did my 10 years in WWE. I’ve proved that I’m tough enough. I don’t have anything to prove.
On Set With Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 blasts into theaters May 5, 2017, and it’s going to be awesome – mark my words! Don’t miss any of my posts from the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2:
- 7 Behind-The-Scenes Facts From Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2
- Chris Pratt – Peter Quill / Star-Lord
- Zoe Saldana – Gamora
- Michael Rooker – Yondu
- Karen Gillan – Nebula
- Director James Gunn
