Dave Bautista spills about his role in 'Blade Runner 2049'

Dave Bautista, known for his action hero roles in Guardians of the Galaxy and Dune, recently revealed a surprising hurdle he faced while being cast in Denis Villeneuve's critically acclaimed Blade Runner 2049. Believe it or not, it wasn't his physique or acting chops that were initially in question – it was his age.

In a recent appearance at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Bautista recounted how director Villeneuve initially had reservations about casting him for the role of Sapper Morton, the weary replicant farmer. 

At the time, Bautista was 48 years old. "Dave was such a charismatic and strong presence, but there was only one problem – he was too young to play that part," Villeneuve said according to The Hollywood Reporter.

This came as a shock to Bautista, who's often challenged for being too big or too muscular for certain roles. "Throughout my experience in Hollywood, I was either too big or too old," he said. "I had never been told I was too young, and I just didn't know what to say."

Thankfully, the story doesn't end there. The film's producers were strong advocates for Bautista and makeup artist Donald Mowat came to the rescue. With the help of prosthetics and ageing makeup, Mowat transformed Bautista into the grizzled Sapper Morton, the character we saw on screen.

"I had to work really hard to work with Denis the first time in 'Blade Runner 2049,'" said Bautista. "I had to audition, and screen test, and makeup test, and really win him over." In the end, his dedication and the makeup team's artistry convinced Villeneuve, leading to a powerful performance that resonated with audiences.