Between takes
Dave Bautista is flexing his acting muscles.
‘I’ve taken away something from everybody I’ve worked with’
You play a Bond villain in SPECTRE. Was it a dream role for you? My agent called me and he said, “What do you think about being in a Bond film?” So I said, “Fuck, yeah! Are you serious?” I was a fan of Sean Connery and he was James Bond to me. I lost interest a lot throughout the years. But when Daniel [ Craig] became James Bond, I believed in him and bought into him. When I got the call for this, I couldn’t have been more thrilled because this is the James Bond I want to be involved with, the Sam Mendes/Daniel Craig era.
How was Mr Hinx pitched to you?
Sam asked me to fly over and meet him. He explained Hinx, and I was apprehensive because I knew I was going to get cast as the musclehead. So I literally asked him two questions. I said, “Is Mr Hinx a badass?” He said, “Yes.” And I was afraid to ask, but I did, “Is he intelligent?” and he said, “Oh, yes.” I was sold and I said that to him. That day he gave me the part.
How does Hinx’s intelligence present itself against Bond?
There’s definitely a twinkle in Mr Hinx’s eye. He doesn’t take himself, or anyone else, too seriously because he is secure in being the toughest guy in the world. He doesn’t think anyone is his equal, including James Bond.
Since Guardians, you’ve been cast against world-class actors from De Niro to Christoph Waltz. What influence has that had on you?
I’ve taken away something from everybody I’ve worked with. I just did Warrior’s Gate with a great young actor named Uriah Shelton. He looked like a kid but he would change up things just in his eyes from take to take and was really talented. I watched how methodical De Niro was [ in Bus 657]. And going back to films before I was successful, Dominic Purcell started talking to me between scenes about breathing and I still use it to this day.
Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 has
a script. Have you read it?
I haven’t read it and I haven’t asked. They are going into their second draft and I want to wait until it’s finished. As a performer and a fan, I like to be surprised.