Dave Bautista Is 'Training Hard' to Stay Trim Because 'I Look Like a Gorilla' Next to Other Actors

Mar. 15, 2025

When it comes to staying lean, it’s all part of the job forDave Bautista.The former WWE superstar, 55, shared during an appearance on the Tuesday, Sept. 10, edition of theInsight with Chris Van Vlietpodcast that he “absolutely” focuses on staying slim to avoid being too “distracting” on camera.“I started trimming down for a particular reason. Why? One, I started trimming down because I just got fat,” he explained, expressing that he had gotten “uncomfortable big” for his starring role in the 2023 thrillerKnock at the Cabinand weighed “around 315 pounds.““When I was younger, I was carrying lots and lots of muscle. This I had to put on like you know, between films,” he recalled. “I had a very short period of time to put the suede on. I packed it on with french fries and pancakes.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!“That’s how I did it, and the director [M. Night Shyamalan] asked me, he said, ‘You know, I don’t want you to look like a powerlifter. I just want you to look like a great big guy,’ " continued Baustista. “And so now, looking back at it, man, I probably overdid it.“Dave Bautista (left) in 2022, and in 2024 (right).David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty; John Nacion/Getty"I was probably a little too big, but at the time, I was just thinking, ‘I got to get big, got to get big, I got to get big,’ and I put an uncomfortable amount of weight, and it took me forever to shed it out,” he said.Trimming down ultimately made him feel and look “better” on camera next to other actors.“It’s weird because people think, like for me, people say, ‘God, you’re skinny.’ I even saw online some people are worried about my health, and when I say out loud to people, ‘I’m 6'4”, 240 pounds.’ It sounds like when you say that out loud, it sounds like I’m a big person,” he said.Dave Bautista arrives at the Los Angeles Special Screening Of Lionsgate’s ‘The Killer’s Game’ at Regal LA Live on September 09, 2024.Steve Granitz/FilmMagic"But to me, because people have seen me so much, so you know, so much bigger over the years, and you know, they think I’m anorexic,” continued Bautista. “But I’m still just a large human being, so at 6'4”, 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 basically killing myself to be this trim,” he said. “I’m training hard.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Bautista’s latest movie,The Killer’s Game,arrives in theaters Friday.

When it comes to staying lean, it’s all part of the job forDave Bautista.

The former WWE superstar, 55, shared during an appearance on the Tuesday, Sept. 10, edition of theInsight with Chris Van Vlietpodcast that he “absolutely” focuses on staying slim to avoid being too “distracting” on camera.

“I started trimming down for a particular reason. Why? One, I started trimming down because I just got fat,” he explained, expressing that he had gotten “uncomfortable big” for his starring role in the 2023 thrillerKnock at the Cabinand weighed “around 315 pounds.”

“When I was younger, I was carrying lots and lots of muscle. This I had to put on like you know, between films,” he recalled. “I had a very short period of time to put the suede on. I packed it on with french fries and pancakes.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

“That’s how I did it, and the director [M. Night Shyamalan] asked me, he said, ‘You know, I don’t want you to look like a powerlifter. I just want you to look like a great big guy,’ " continued Baustista. “And so now, looking back at it, man, I probably overdid it.”

Dave Bautista (left) in 2022, and in 2024 (right).David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty; John Nacion/Getty

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty; John Nacion/Getty

“I was probably a little too big, but at the time, I was just thinking, ‘I got to get big, got to get big, I got to get big,’ and I put an uncomfortable amount of weight, and it took me forever to shed it out,” he said.

Trimming down ultimately made him feel and look “better” on camera next to other actors.

“It’s weird because people think, like for me, people say, ‘God, you’re skinny.’ I even saw online some people are worried about my health, and when I say out loud to people, ‘I’m 6'4”, 240 pounds.’ It sounds like when you say that out loud, it sounds like I’m a big person,” he said.

Dave Bautista arrives at the Los Angeles Special Screening Of Lionsgate’s ‘The Killer’s Game’ at Regal LA Live on September 09, 2024.Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

“But to me, because people have seen me so much, so you know, so much bigger over the years, and you know, they think I’m anorexic,” continued Bautista. “But I’m still just a large human being, so at 6'4”, 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 basically killing myself to be this trim,” he said. “I’m training hard.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Bautista’s latest movie,The Killer’s Game,arrives in theaters Friday.

source: people.com