Dave Bautista worries fans as TIFF red carpet photos showed his slim physique
Wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista worried some fans after appearing to have lost a significant amount of weight in his latest photos.
The Filipino American Bautista, 55, has a lot of projects for 2024. In March, he reprised his role in Dune: Part Two, the second installment of the epic sci-fi film based on the hit novel by Frank Herbert. In September, he has two more movies, action The Killer's Game and drama The Last Showgirl.
When The Last Showgirl premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last Sept. 6, Bautista appeared on the red carpet in a black suit, black shirt, and black shoes. His top's low neckline showed some of his chest tattoos, even as he wore black sunglasses and pearl necklaces.
TIFF shared an Instagram Reel of Bautista in an on-cam interview where he talked about being a "dog dad."
It was, however, his physical appearance that mostly divided commenters.
"Holy crap he looks so different," one user said.
"[Slim] Bati," another user said, referencing his ring name Batista on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Fellow pro wrestler Mark Henry left a crying emoji.
Others didn't mince words.
"[The f**k] happened to you," one user said.
"Batista out here dressed like yer granny at a funeral," another user said.
Other users took to X to worry about Bautista's physique.
"Seeing the WWE stars from your childhood getting old is terribly depressing," one user said, juxtaposing a photo of a more buff Bautista during his WWE days and his red carpet appearance.
Other users, meanwhile, were more positive.
"Great actor. Seemingly great personality. So much sexiness. And that’s all I want to say, and will mind my business," one user said in the comments section of TIFF's video.
"Omg he just gets better with age," another user said with a smiling face with heart eyes and fire emojis.
Several commenters also called him "sexy" and "beautiful."
In a YouTube interview with Canadian personality Chris Van Vilet about The Killer's Game on Aug. 28, Bautista said he was getting "super trimmed," and is "probably the lightest" he has been since 19.
"The heaviest I've ever been is 370lbs. When I started Deacon (his early wrestling persona), I was about 325lbs. Throughout most of my wrestling career, I was about 290lbs. Now I'm about 240lbs," he said. "And I went... A year and a half ago for Knock at the Cabin, I went 315lbs. And that's when the nightmare started."
"Getting that weight off [has] been a challenge. Now I'm really particular about my diet," he added.
In July, Bautista also talked about his weight loss journey since leaving WWE. One of his ways was jiu jitsu.
“I was trimming down, and I’ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I’m okay with it, because I just feel more comfortable," he said during a guesting on LIVE with Kelly and Mark, as reported by PEOPLE Magazine.
Bautista began his wrestling career in 1999 and joined WWE in 2000.
As Batista, he won several titles, including the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship, the World Tag Team Championship (with Ric Flair and then John Cena), and the WWE Tag Team Championship (with Rey Mysterio).
Bautista retired from professional wrestling in 2019.
He made his showbiz debut in the 2012 martial arts movie The Man with the Iron Fists.
His most popular role to date was Drax the Destroyer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 in 2014.
Following his role as Drax, Bautista then had bigger roles in Spectre (2015), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), My Spy (2020), Army of the Dead (2021), Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), and Knock at the Cabin (2023).