The caption read: “What happened to Dave Bautista?”

Former WWE wrestler and actor Dave Bautista’s dramatic transformation has garnered a lot of attention online. The 55-year-old, once known for his muscular build, surprised many with a noticeably slimmer appearance at the premiere of The Last Showgirl at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

An X user shared two photos of Bautista: one from 2022, in which he appears significantly more muscular, and another from his 2024 TIFF appearance, in which he looks much slimmer in a black suit, pearl necklaces, and dark sunglasses on the red carpet. The caption read, “What happened to Dave Bautista?”

What happened to Dave Bautista? photo.twitter.com/caaXBdy8Vi

—Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) September 8, 2024

However, other users pointed out that Bautista’s physical change could be attributed to both aging and his career change. “What happened? He was a wrestler and now he’s an actor. These are two different stages in his life and he excels at both,” one X user noted. Another added, “Bautista is 55 years old. He should be getting smaller. He’s gradually and naturally lost muscle mass over the years.”

A third user noted: “He’s developing into a great actor who lets his work speak for itself. He doesn’t just wait for action or roles; he wants to act. That’s his passion. He built his body for wrestling and now he’s lost weight for his new focus.”

In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Bautista discussed his weight loss journey. “I’m getting super lean; this is probably the lightest I’ve been since I was 19,” Bautista said. “The heaviest I’ve ever been is 370 lbs. When I started with Deacon, I was about 325 lbs. For most of my wrestling career, I was about 290 lbs. Now I’m about 240 lbs. A year and a half ago, before Knock at the Cabin, I was 315 lbs., and that’s when the weight loss challenge started. Now I’m very specific about my diet.”

Dave Bautista will star in The Killer’s Game, starring Sofia Boutella. The film is set for release on September 13.

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