Dave Bautista Says He's 'Killing' Himself To Remain Lean After 75-Pound Weight Loss

Dave Bautista has undergone a major transformation, shedding 75 pounds after gaining weight for his role in "Knock at the Cabin."

However, the actor has admitted that maintaining his slimmer physique has been challenging, involving intense training, calorie restriction, and intermittent fasting.

The WWE star, Dave Bautista, discussed feeling better both physically and on camera after losing the weight, even though he claims maintaining it is "killing" him.

Bautista, who shocked his fans with his incredible transformation, recently revealed the amount of effort he's putting into staying in shape.

The wrestler-turned-movie star discussed his new slimmer physique and confessed that he's been "killing" himself to maintain his weight.

"I started slimming down because I just got fat," he explained during an interview on Chris Van Vliet's YouTube channel, per the New York Post. "I got really big for a role, and it was uncomfortably big… I was around 315 pounds, and I put the weight on really fast. … I packed it on with French fries and pancakes."

Bautista shared that the weight gain was due to his role in the 2023 psychological thriller "Knock at the Cabin."

Reflecting on the experience, he said, "Looking back at it, I probably overdid it. I was probably a little too big. I put on an uncomfortable amount of weight and it took me forever to shed it off."

The Marvel actor shared that as he continued to shed weight, he started feeling much better both physically and in front of the camera.

"And I also noticed the more I trimmed down, the better I looked on camera and the better I looked next to other actors. … Even at this weight … at 6'4 [and] 240 pounds, next to your typical actor, I look like a gorilla, and it's distracting," he explained.

Bautista then addressed fans' concerns about his noticeable weight loss. While he assured them he isn't "starving himself," he admitted that maintaining his current physique has been challenging.

"I'll probably drop a few more pounds. I'm working extremely hard to stay this lean. My training is intense, and my calorie intake is limited," Bautista said.

He went on to reveal that his daily intake is just 2,500 calories, and he follows a strict regimen that includes intermittent fasting. Bautista also avoids eating 3-4 hours before bedtime to keep his weight in check.

In a chat with Vliet, Bautista noted that he was the lightest weight he had ever been since he was a teenager.

"I'm getting super trimmed, this is probably the lightest I've been since I was 19 years old," he told the YouTuber, per the Daily Mail.

"The heaviest I've ever been is 370lbs. When I started Deacon, I was about 325lbs," he continued. "Throughout most of my wrestling career, I was about 290lbs. Now I'm about 240lbs."

Bautista added, "And I went a year and a half ago for Knock at the Cabin, I went 315lbs. And that's when the nightmare started."

In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, Bautista opened up about his departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he portrayed Drax the Destroyer in "Guardians of the Galaxy" for nearly a decade.

"I'm so grateful for Drax. I love him. But there's a relief [that it's over]," he confessed. "It wasn't all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don't know if I want Drax to be my legacy – it's a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff."

Bautista also reflected on his career in Hollywood, making it clear that fame isn't his priority.

"Honestly, I could give a f-ck [about being a movie star]," he confessed. "I don't live a great big glamorous life. I live here in Tampa. I don't care about the spotlight, I don't care about fame. I just want to be a better actor. I want respect from my peers. I don't need accolades – I really don't, man. It's about the experience, about knowing that I accomplished something."

In an interview with Page Six in January 2023, Bautista expressed his desire to star in a rom-com and questioned why he hadn't been considered for such roles.

"Am I that unattractive?" he wondered. "Is there something that unappealing about me that excludes me from these parts?"

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Killer's Game" on Monday, Bautista shared how those comments sparked quite a conversation.

"I said that and started getting calls immediately. So we've got a couple that we're developing that are actually really funny," Bautista told the publication, adding that he's now "making my way there, like a full-on rom-com. Not like an action rom-com, a full-on rom-com."