Wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, more commonly known to his Filipino fans as Batista, expressed how proud he is to wear the Filipino flag on his shoulder.
In an interview, Bautista said he wears his tattoo of the Philippine flag on his shoulder with pride.
“I love it and I wear the Filipino flag on my shoulder all the time with pride,” Bautista told ABS-CBN.
Bautista began to realize how big of a fanbase he has in the Philippines, when he visited the country some years ago.
“They really accepted me as one of their own, even if I was born in the United States,” he shared.
“And they said, ‘It’s not often that the Filipino people get to be inspired by one of their own.’ And from then on, I never took it for granted. It is still so humbling to hear that.”
Bautista, whose father is Filipino-American, became famous for his stint as a wrestler in WWE. After leaving the show, he decided to enter Hollywood.
He currently plays the role of Drax in the Marvel cinematic universe.
James Gunn, Director of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, said the character’s popularity should be attributed to Bautista.
“I think Dave isn’t appreciated by Dave more than anyone else. Far and anyway, Dave Bautista is people’s favorite character in the film. And I think it’s just a testament to what a great actor he is,” Gunn said.
“And every time I tell Dave, ‘You’re amazing in the movie. People love you.’ He always says, ‘Because you wrote it that way.’ But that’s just not the case. No one else would be able to deliver those lines like he is able to do it. So he’s a great actor.”
PHOTO FROM: Design Pinoy
