Spectre Cast Exclusive: Former WWE Wrestler Dave Bautista on Playing Mr. Hinx
Being an actor is no simple endeavor. It requires not only commitment, technique and penetrating intelligence, but also the ability to take on the pressure and criticism that will undoubtedly come your way.
The toughest criticism will often come from the actor or actress directly. And that kind of critique can either fuel or fan a passionate fire within the talent.
For Dave Bautista, a professional wrestler-turned-actor, his first "humiliation" on camera proved to be a calling card, pushing him to up his game and look for a second chance.
The actor, who will be seen as Mr. Hinx in the upcoming James Bond movie "Spectre," recently talked to Latin Post about his first embarrassment as well as the experience of moving from one major franchise in "Guardians of the Galaxy" to the "Bond" Franchise with "Spectre."
Latin Post: So let's get things started by talking about how you landed this role of Mr. Hinx?
David Bautista: I auditioned for it. Sent in a tape and then waited for a month. Eventually they told me that Sam Mendes wanted to fly me over to meet me. So I flew over, met him, we really got along and I walked out of there with the job.
LP: Tell me a bit about the role. What is the most fascinating thing about playing this role?
DB: I think the cool thing is that he was going to be categorized as a henchman. And my fear was always that I didn't like being cast as a muscle head. So two questions I asked Sam at that meeting was if Hinx was a bada**. Then I asked if he was intelligent and he said "Absolutely." Those were my two concerns because I didn't wanted to be categorized as a subservient henchman. I wanted to be a man on a mission doing his own thing. And that's what Mr. Hinx is.
LP: Mr. Hinx and Christoph Waltz's character Franz Oberhauser work together in this film to thwart Bond. What was the experience of working with Christoph Waltz?
DB: It was hypnotic. You get sucked into everything about him. His look, his demeanor. It's amazing. He's also the type of guy that I could never tell if he was [messing] with me. He says everything so deadpan that you can never tell if he is harassing you or not.
He's always great fun and has a tremendous sense of humor.
LP: What about working with director Sam Mendes and what did you learn as an actor?
DB: Sam makes things very easy. He makes you feel relaxed. He never changes his demeanor. He's never in a bad mood, always a good one. He's never demanding, just very calm and specific about what he wants and why he wants it. I was trying to search for a way to describe his directing style and it's really quiet and soothing. He is very hands-on also.
LP: What was the most exciting scene that you took a part in in this film?
DB: We did this elaborate car chase through Rome that was incredible. They literally shut down the city for us at night. When we driving these exotic cars through Rome it was insane. It felt like I was really in a James Bond film.
LP: Any other moments that made you realize that you were in a Bond movie?
DB: When I first met Daniel [Craig]. It was before we started shooting. It was off-set, he was in the offices and I turned around and there he was. I was meeting James Bond for the first time, and it was a very surreal moment.
LP: You obviously also got to star in "Guardians of the Galaxy." What is most fascinating about being in such big projects like these?
DB: I don't think that I find anything particularly fascinating. For me it's about the characters. I take jobs based on characters. I noticed that conditions are better on bigger budget films, but I don't mind roughing it once in a while if the quality of the material is there. I can get used to some disorganized stuff. I was with WWE and everything was always disorganized there.
LP: How was the travel schedule for "Spectre?" Was that hard to get used to?
DB: I think that was the big difference with "Guardians" and it was something that took a little while to get used to. We would be moving to a different country and then a different location in that same country. And then to another country and then to the studio. It was insane and it beat me up a bit because I wasn't used to it. It wasn't something that I wanted to do on every project, but it was a great experience. It is something that makes "Bond" films so special. There is an international feel to them.
LP: Let's shift to your transition from a professional wrestler to an actor. Was it a tough one?
DB: It was actually really rough. It didn't seem to start rolling until Guardians was released.
The first film I ever did, I was with WWE and it was a favor to a friend. When I did it, I realized I was a horrible actor. It pissed me off because I left feeling embarrassed. It made me want to prove myself and get better so I could get a second chance. And there you go.