Dave Bautista Admits He’s ‘Embarrassed’ About Getting Cillian Murphy Tattoo On His Thigh

Former pro wrestler Dave Bautista admitted that he got a tattoo of actor Cillian Murphy on his leg and is slightly embarrassed about it.

The “Glass Onion” actor told GQ that he knew the image he selected was one of Murphy from his hit show “Peaky Blinders,” but he had hoped the tattoo artist would change the look enough to make it unrecognizable. However, Bautista said fans were able to figure out who it was immediately. 

“I found this really cool picture that I love and I always wanted to do this,” he said while showing off the tattoo on his thigh. “‘Gentleman Hooligan,’ ‘cause it kind of always felt like who I was.”

Bautista explained how he related to the character because he’s “really from the streets.”

“I grew up poor,” the former wrestler said, but clarified that he also considered himself a “gentlemen” who respected everyone no matter what. Bautista thought that image of Murphy conveyed a bit of himself as well.

The Marvel actor said he asked his tattoo artist to change the face so it wasn’t so distinctly Murphy. After he got it, he claims he saw the distinction and that it didn’t look “exactly” like Cillian Murphy. He showed off the finished product, which disguised the character’s eyes under the shadow of his hat. 

“The first time I posted it on my social media, all I got was, “Oh my God. You’ve got a tattoo of Cillian Murphy,”‘ Bautista said.

“It is what it is. I’m a fan. So, you know, a little embarrassed but not ashamed.” He laughed while addressing Murphy directly, saying, “So Cillian, there you go. Your face is tattooed on my thigh.”

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star also told GQ during an interview that he was relieved to be exiting the MCU. “I’m so grateful for Drax,” he said of the character that helped him develop his acting skills. “I love him. But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role,” he continued. 

Bautista also mentioned that the studio missed an opportunity to flesh out Drax’s backstory, as The Daily Wire originally reported. 

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases