Dave Bautista has transitioned from WWE to become an acting heavyweight in Hollywood, and now he will have a role to play at the Oscars. Executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producer Katy Mullan announced this week that Bautista will be a presenter at the 97th Academy Awards on March 2.
Bautista will be joined by some Hollwyood headliners, including Harrison Ford, Gal Gadot, Andrew Garfield, Samuel L. Jackson, Zoe Saldaña and Rachel Zegler. The Oscars will take place at the the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The show will be televised live on ABC and streamed live on Hulu.
Bautista is one of the biggest success stories when it comes to wrestlers-turned actors, and is up there with the likes of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and John Cena. After a series of smaller projects, Bautista’s breakout role came as Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014.) He has since appeared in blockbuster franchises including Blade Runner, Knives Out, and James Bond, while also taking on roles in more low-key projects.
Bautista has shared his interest in becoming a director, though WWE’s Animal has yet to make his debut in the role. Nevertheless, Bautista’s role at the Oscars alongside some top names in acting only continues to demonstrate the Hollywood success of the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion.