10 Actors Who Won Everyone Over With ONE Performance

Wrestlers-turned-actors inherently face a tricky journey to be taken seriously in Hollywood, because the past is littered with hugely popular wrestlers trying to make it in the film industry, only for their acting chops to fall short (looking at you, Hulk Hogan).

While wrestlers are generally better suited to playing action heroes and larger-than-life comedy roles, Dave Bautista quickly made it clear that he wanted more.

Bautista graduated from straight-to-video action thrillers to the big leagues with his hilarious performance as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but truly shed the "wrestler actor" label when he played a small supporting role in Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049.

Bautista appears in one of the film's very first scenes as Sapper Morton, a replicant who K (Ryan Gosling) is called upon to "retire." 

Rather than play a loud, hulking figure befitting his large frame, Bautista is a picture of solemn reserve - Morton is well aware why K has paid him a visit, and Bautista brings a subtle nuance to the minor role that just about nobody could've seen coming.

Though most of Bautista's work since has been firmly in the action arena, he did reteam with Villeneuve for both Dune movies, and gave memorable performances in both Glass Onion and Knock at the Cabin.